The AIM-54A can be dumb launched off any type of platform, large vehicle, barge, ground launcher, etc. The radio guided "Phoenix" can be launched in a passive mode in the general direction of a target, and it would then start to actively track any moving target it picks up. Just point and shoot, the "Phoenix" will do the rest. Hughes launched these missiles off ground platforms during initial testing. Almost all air-to-air missiles are initially tested from ground launchers prior to initial air launch tests.
