What feature allows active radar missiles to track their target independently of the launching aircraft?

The feature that allows active radar missiles to independently track their target is the incorporation of onboard radar equipment. This type of missile is equipped with its own radar system, enabling it to detect and track targets autonomously after being launched. Once an active radar missile is fired, it can continue to locate and follow the target without needing guidance from the launching aircraft. This independence is crucial for engaging targets that may maneuver away from the original flight path of the missile.

Other options do not offer the same capability for independent tracking. Continuous radar lock implies a requirement for the launching aircraft to maintain a signal on the target, which does not grant the missile its own tracking ability. Infrared targeting systems are a different technology that relies on heat signatures rather than radar waves. Lastly, reliance on ground-based detection systems would suggest that the missile is dependent on external tracking, which contradicts the concept of active radar missiles being self-sufficient once launched.