[Deaf Smith]

Surface to air and air to air missiles are proximity weapons.

They explode next to the target and send projectiles to tear apart the target.

[doorgunner69]

Yep, shotgun blast nearby. Planes being thin skinned, easy for the thousands of explosive driven bits to damage something vital to flight.

Though I understand the old heat seeking Sidewinder was known to sometimes fly right up the exhaust of the target before detonating