Missile 19594 224916844 2008-07-11T00:05:29Z TheGerm 610905 /* See also */ {{otheruses}} {{Unreferenced|date=June 2008}} {{Mergefrom|Guided missile|date=May 2007}} [[Image:Exocet-mil.jpg|thumb|[[Exocet]] missile in flight]] [[Image:IRIS-T air-to-air-missile.jpg|thumb|right|A modern [[IRIS-T]] [[air-to-air missile]] of the [[Germany|German]] [[Luftwaffe]].]] A '''missile''' (see also [[American and British English pronunciation differences#-ile|pronunciation differences]]) is a self-propelled, explosive [[projectile]] used as a weapon towards a target. Missiles are typically propelled by [[rocket]]s, but other engines such as [[ramjet]], [[turbojet]] and [[turbofan]] engines can also be used. == Etymology == The word ''missile'' comes from the [[Latin]] verb ''mittere'', literally meaning "to send". == Missile == Missiles that have the ability to maneuver through the air can be guided, and are known as [[guided missile]]s. These have three key system components: * tracking * guidance * flight A tracking system locates the missile's target. This can be either a human gunner aiming a sight on the target (remotely from the missile) or an automatic tracker. Automatic trackers use [[Electromagnetic radiation|radiation]] emanating from the target or emitted from the launch platform and reflecting back to it from the target. Passive automatic trackers use the target's inherent radiation, usually heat or light, but missiles designed to attack [[Command and Control (Military)|Command & Control]] posts, aircraft or guided missiles may look for radio waves. Active automatic trackers rely on the target being illuminated by radiation. The target can be "painted" with light (sometimes [[infrared]] and/or [[laser]]) or radio waves ([[radar]]) which can be detected by the missile. The radiation for the painting can originate in the missile itself or may come from a remote station (for example, a hilltop gunner can illuminate a target with a [[laser]] device and this can be used to direct an air launched guided missile). A [[guidance system]] takes data from the missile's tracking system and flight system and computes a flight path for the missile designed to intercept the target. It produces commands for the flight system. The flight system causes the missile to maneuver. There are two main systems: vectored thrust (for missiles that are powered throughout the guidance phase of their flight) and aerodynamic maneuvering (wings, fins, canards, etc). There are some similarities between guided missiles and [[precision-guided munitions|guided bombs]]. A guided bomb, dropped from an aircraft, is unpowered and uses aerodynamic fins for forward horizontal maneuvering while falling vertically. == See also == [[Image:DontGiveUpTheShip.jpg|thumb|right|220px|The [[USS Lake Erie (CG-70)]] conducts anti-satellite missile test [[USA 193]]]] {{Commons|Missile}} {{wiktionary|missile}} * [[List of missiles]] * [[List of missiles by nation]] * [[Timeline of rocket and missile technology]] * [[V-1 flying bomb]] * [[V-2 rocket]] * [[Redstone (rocket)|Redstone missile]] * [[List of World War II guided missiles of Germany]] * [[Shoulder-launched missile weapon]] * [[Fire-and-forget]] * [[Scramjet]] {{Template group |list = {{Missile types}} {{Russian and Soviet missiles}} }} [[Category:Guided missiles]] [[Category:Ammunition]] [[zh-min-nan:Tō-tôaⁿ]] [[cy:Taflegryn]] [[da:Missil]] [[de:Lenkflugkörper]] [[el:Πύραυλος]] [[es:Misil]] [[eo:Misilo]] [[fa:موشک]] [[fr:Missile]] [[gl:Mísil]] [[ko:미사일]] [[hi:प्रक्षेपास्त्र]] [[id:Misil]] [[it:Missile]] [[he:טיל]] [[ja:ミサイル]] [[no:Missil]] [[pl:Pocisk rakietowy]] [[pt:Míssil]] [[rm:Missil]] [[ru:Ракетное оружие]] [[simple:Missile]] [[sl:Izstrelek]] [[fi:Ohjus]] [[sv:Robot (vapen)]] [[ta:ஏவுகணை]] [[tl:Misayl]] [[tr:Füze]] [[zh:导弹]]