Editing Missile (section)

==Components==
===Guidance, targeting and flight systems===
{{main|Missile guidance}}
[[File:Missile homing.jpg|thumb|200px|A semi-active missile [[Homing (missile guidance)|homing]] system]]
A missile is most often guided by a guidance system though there are missiles that are unguided during some phases of flight.<ref name="Siouris">{{Cite book|title=Missile Guidance and Control Systems|first=George|last=Siouris|year=2006|isbn=978-0-3872-1816-8|publisher=[[Springer New York]]|page=6}}</ref> Missile guidance refers to methods of guiding a missile to its intended target. Effective guidance is important because reaching the target position accurately and precisely is a critical factor for its effectiveness.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wjVnisG_6KMC&q=Probability+of+guidance&pg=PA34|title=Fundamentals of Strategic Weapons: Offense and Defense Systems|isbn=978-9-0247-2545-8|last1=Constant|first1=James N.|date=27 September 1981|publisher=[[Brill Publishers|Martinus Nijhoff Publishers]] }}</ref> The missile guidance system accomplishes this by four steps: tracking the target, computing the directions using tracking information, directing the computed inputs to steering control and steering the missile by directing inputs to motors or flight control surfaces.<ref name="USO">{{Cite book|title=Aviation Ordnanceman 3 & 2|page=355|year=1967|publisher=United States Bureau of Naval Personnel}}</ref> The guidance system consists of three sections: launch, mid-course and terminal with same or different systems employed across sections.<ref name="USO"/>
[[File:Solid-Fuel Rocket Diagram.svg|thumb|200px|A simplified diagram of a solid-fuel rocket. {{olist
  |A [[Rocket propellant|propellant]] is packed with a hole in the middle
  |An [[Pyrotechnic initiator|igniter]] combusts the propellant
  |The hole acts as a [[combustion chamber]]
  |The hot exhaust is choked at the throat
  |Exhaust exits the rocket
}}]]

The guidance and [[Homing (missile guidance)|homing]] systems are generally classified broadly into [[Active radar homing|active]], [[Semi-active radar homing|semi-active]] and [[Passive radar homing|passive]].<ref name="Siouris"/> In active homing systems, the missile carries the equipment needed to transmit the radiation needed to illuminate the target and receive the reflected energy. Once the homing is initiated, the missile [[fire-and-forget|directs independently]] towards the target.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Weapons System Fundamentals: Synthesis of systems|page=60|year=1960|publisher=[[United States Government Printing Office]]}}</ref> In semi-active systems, the source of the radiation is located outside the missile usually in the launch vehicle which might be an aircraft or a ship and the missile will receive the radiation to direct towards the target. As the source is located outside, the launch vehicle needs to continue supporting the missile till it is guided to the intended target.<ref name="Ctr">{{Cite book|title=Fire Control Technician M 3 & 2|publisher=[[United States Navy|United States Naval Education and Training Command]]|year=1978|page=87}}</ref> In a passive system, the missile relies solely on the information from the target.<ref name="Ctr"/> The homing system might use [[light]] such as [[infrared homing|infrared]], [[laser guidance|laser]] or [[visible light]], [[radar guidance|radio wave]]s or other [[electromagnetic radiation]] to illuminate the target. Once the guidance system identifies the target, the target might required to be tracked continuously if it is in motion. A guidance system might use [[Inertial navigation system|INS]] which consists of a [[gyroscope]] and [[accelerometer]] or might use  [[satellite guidance]] (such as [[Global Positioning System|GPS]]) to track the missile’s position relative to a known target.<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/technology/inertial-guidance-system|title=Inertial Guidance System|encyclopedia=[[Britannica]]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> The missile computers will compute the flight path required to steer the missile towards the target.<ref name="Ctr" /> In [[command guidance]], a human operator may operate it manually or a support or launch system will transmit commands by using either [[optic fiber]] or [[radio-control|radio]] to guide the missile.<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/technology/command-guidance-system|title=Command Guidance System|encyclopedia=[[Britannica]]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> The flight system uses the data from the targeting or guidance system to maneuver the missile in flight which might be accomplished using [[thrust vectoring|vectored thrust]] of engines or aerodynamic maneuvering using [[flight control surface]]s such as [[airplane wing|wings]], fins and [[canard (aeronautics)|canards]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www1.grc.nasa.gov/beginners-guide-to-aeronautics/vectored-thrust/|title=Vectored thrust|work=[[NASA]]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref>

===Propulsion===
Missiles are powered by [[propellants]] igniting to produce thrust and might employ types of [[rocket engine|rocket]] or [[jet engine]]s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/rocket-engine-liquid-fuel-4-redstone-missile/nasm_A19910078000|title=Redstone Missile Rocket Engine|work=[[National Air and Space Museum]]|access-date=1 June 2024}}</ref> Rockets might be fueled by [[solid-propellant rocket|solid-propellant]]s which are comparatively easier to maintain and enables faster deployment. These propellants contain a [[fuel]] and [[oxidizer]] mixed in select proportions with the grain size and burn chamber determining the rate and time of burn.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Kosanke|first1=K. L.|title=Encyclopedic Dictionary of Pyrotechnics: (and Related Subjects)|last2=Sturman|first2=Barry T.|last3=Winokur|first3=Robert M.|last4=Kosanke|first4=B. J.|date=October 2012|publisher=Journal of Pyrotechnics|isbn=978-1-88952-621-8}}</ref> Larger missiles might use [[liquid-propellant rocket]]s where propulsion is provided by a single or combination of liquid fuels.<ref name="Sutton">{{cite book|last=Sutton|first=George P.|title=Rocket Propulsion Elements, 3rd edition|year=1963|publisher=[[John Wiley & Sons]]|location=[[New York City]]|pages=25, 186, 187}}</ref> A hybrid system uses solid rocket fuel with a liquid oxidizer.<ref name="Sutton"/> Jet engines are generally used in [[cruise missile]]s, most commonly of the [[turbojet]] type, because of their relative simplicity and low frontal area while [[turbofan]]s and [[ramjet]]s can also be theoretically used.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Turbojet Engine|publisher=[[NASA Glenn Research Center]]|url=http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/airplane/aturbj.html|access-date=6 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.brahmos.com/content.php?id=10|title=Missile system|work=[[BrahMos Aerospace]]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> 

From the 1950s to early 1970s, the United States operated [[Project Rover]] and [[Project Pluto]] for developing [[nuclear thermal rocket]]s and nuclear-powered ramjet engines for powering cruise missiles respectively. Both performed static engine tests but were cancelled before deployment.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Hacker |first=Barton C. |year=1995 |title=Whoever heard of nuclear ramjets? Project Pluto, 1957—1964 |url=http://www.jstor.org/stable/23786203 |journal=Icon |publisher=Temporary Publisher |volume=1 |pages=85–98 |issn=13618113 |jstor=23786203 |access-date=1 May 2025}}</ref> Ballistic missiles often have multiple stages and might use similar type or a mix of propulsion types. Some missiles may have additional propulsion from another source at launch such as a [[catapult]], [[cannon]] or [[tank gun]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.drdo.gov.in/technology-cluster-links/labs-products-detail/2632/174|title=Lab products: SAMHO|work=[[Defence Research and Development Organisation]]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref>

===Warhead===
Missiles have one or more [[explosive]] [[warhead]]s, although other weapon types may also be used.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/warhead|title=Warhead|publisher=[[Cambridge Dictionary]]|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> The warheads of a missile provide its primary destructive power which might cause secondary destruction due to the [[kinetic energy weapon|kinetic energy]] of the weapon.<ref name="WH">{{Cite book|title=Tactical Missile Warheads|year=1993|publisher=[[American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics]]|first=Joseph|last=Carleone}}</ref>{{rp|pages=64-65}} Warheads are most commonly of the [[high explosive]] type, often employing [[shaped charge]]s to exploit the accuracy of a guided weapon to destroy hardened targets. Warhead might carry [[conventional weapons|conventional]], [[incendiary device|incendiary]], [[nuclear weapon|nuclear]], [[chemical weapon|chemical]], [[biological weapon|biological]] or [[radiological weapon]]s.<ref name="WH"/>{{rp|page=65}}