1. Missiles
Rebecca Lucast

2. This is what I am going to talk about
Theory of missile guidance systems
Different kinds of systems and the weapons they support (shorter range than intercontinental)
Specific guidance that uses radar and how it does so
Applications: Star Wars

3. Theory of Missile Guidance

4. Different Types of Systems
Beam Riding
Command Guidance
Navigation
Inertial
Ranging
Celestial
Geophysical
Homing
Passive
Semiactive
Active
Retransmission

5. Beam Riding Outdated technology, in use in the 1950s
Target painted by tracking beam, which missile would follow
Computer calculated where missile was in beam to keep it aimed to target
Poor at longer ranges

6. Command Guidance Like Beam, needs external targeting radar
Tracks target and missile, sends information to missile to guide it into target
Can be radio- or wire-guided, as in TOW or submarine torpedoes

7. Navigation Inertial– detect changes in position and movement
Ties into last week, right?
Ranging– GPS, airport beacons
Celestial– mapped stars like early explorers
Geophysical– terrain and digital scene matching

8. Inertial
Gyroscopes (mechanical and laser) and accelerometers monitor rotation and acceleration on the axes
Computer calculates changes to know position

9. Ranging
GPS triangulates position, compares to programmed target position
Like early explorers, keep track of position relative to known stars
Celestial

10. Geophysical
Scene matching compares what missile “sees” during flight to programmed aerial or space photos
Course adjusted until pictures match
Tomahawk cruise missile guidance system
Terrain features programmed into missile
Radar altimeter to tell missile where it is

11. Homing Guidance Passive Sidewinder and HARM weapons
Locks onto signal given off by target, calculates relative position of target, guides in
Can be heat signal, instrument noise, sound, or a visual image of target
Air-to-air, air-to-surface, and other missiles
Sidewinder and HARM weapons

12. Homing Guidance Semi-active Sparrow and Paveway
Missile detects reflected signal broadcast by targeting radar
Calculates relative position of target, guides in
Sparrow and Paveway
Paveway are laser guided, not radar
External laser beam from air or ground reflects from target to incoming missile

13. Homing Guidance Active AMRAAM and Exocet weapons “Fire and Forget”
Missile broadcasts own targeting radar
Detects reflection, guides into target
AMRAAM and Exocet weapons

14. Homing Guidance Retransmission Patriot missile system
Similar to command guidance in that missile does not “think”
Missile detects reflection, sends information to tracking computer
External computer sends course-correction controls back to missile
Need reliable communication back to missile
Patriot missile system

15. US Missile Defense System “Star Wars”
Ground-based radar to detect launch of enemy missile
Follow path, distinguish from false targets
Transmit data to friendly intercept missile to guide it into target
Completely destroy enemy missile in the air to prevent possible ground contamination?

17. Acknowledgements www.HowStuffWorks.com
for diagrams, overview
for missile defense diagram