Missiles
(1) (z) “Missiles” mean self-propelled unmanned weapons — launched from aircraft, warships or land-based launchers — that are either guided or ballistic.
[Commentary]
- A missile is a self-propelled weapon launched through the air by an aircraft, a warship, or a ground-based missile launch platform. Missiles are powered by either rocket or jet engines. Rocket powered engines employ liquid or solid fuels. The former typically characterize only larger surface-to-surface missiles while the latter are characteristic of air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles. Cruise missiles are typically powered by jet engines. Missiles are to be distinguished from munitions propelled by external force, such as a mortar or artillery shell.
- Many missiles are guided. Guidance may be based on the use of radiated energy, such as homing in on the infra-red signature of the target or laser designation that allows the missile to track to the target. Laser designation of the target can be from the aircraft itself or other aircraft or ground forces. TV cameras that use either visible light or infrared pictures may also be used guide the missile to the target. The missile may be guided to the target by a human operator or by a computer. Some missiles use satellite system data to guide to the target, as in the case of Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) data. Missiles may also contain an inertial navigation system (INS) to provide guidance. To improve accuracy, some missiles employ multiple forms of guidance.
- Ballistic missiles follow a ballistic trajectory following a launch stage, that is, their path is determined by the laws of physics, specifically the law of gravity. Because the trajectory is ballistic, such missiles are typically used in surface-to-surface warfare, that is, launched from the ground or sea against land targets.
- Missile variants include those designed for surface (including water)-to-surface, surface-to-air, air-to-surface and air-to-air attacks.
- The term missile is not identical with rocket. “Rocket” merely refers to a type of object which em-ploys a propellant to create thrust by expelling exhaust and therefore moving the rocket forward. Some missiles are rocket propelled. However, the term rocket is not limited to missiles. For instance, some satellites use rockets for maneuvering purposes.
Categories: Section A: Definitions
