Missile Systems | Cruise Missile | Patriot Missile | Missile Guidance

Missile Systems

Missile technology has become less random and more deadly with precision. This lead the way to a new found thinking of seeking and destroying enemy targets with increased accuracy and decreased casualties or collateral damage.

During the Gulf War, this strategy was put to the test with remarkable results. Sortie after sortie, allied pilots were making their mark destroying radar installations, anti-aircraft batteries, ammunition depots and other Iraqi infrastructure with the use of missiles that can be controlled or "guided" to its target. Guided missiles eliminated the need of carpet bombing, which was the technique used in World War II and Vietnam. Instead of pouring missiles and bombs all over the battlefield, guided missiles and "smart bomb" were able to pick out their targets via lasers and GPS coordinates from satellites, then home in and go for the kill. This greatly reduced the number of civilians lost and non-military targets destroyed.

Another system similar to "smart bombs" is the cruise missile system, which uses the geographical terrain to create a path to its target. Digital maps of the terrain, downloaded onto magnetic taps, were installed into these missiles. With this data, the cruise missile would compare the digitized pictures of the surface to what it sees in flight, and correct itself until the two images were exact, leading up to the target.

Anti-ballistic missiles were put to use as well. The Patriot Missile, initially designed for anti-aircraft purposes, proved to be a great asset in destroying the Iraqi Scud missiles. This type of guidance system used radio waves to track down the enemy missile. As the Scud would travel, radio waves would beam the Scud's location back to the Patriot radar stationed and relayed back to the intercepting Patriot. During the conflict, the Allies used this system to protect Israel, as Saddam was trying to draw the Jewish homeland into the war.