Military
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| Weapons
of War: U.S.
Cruise Missiles America's ability to strike targets deep in enemy territory without risk to piloted aircraft is primarily due to the cruise missile. Cruise missiles fly under their own power, allowing pilots to release them far from anti-aircraft sites. The development of Global Positioning System (GPS) navigation provides precision-strike, all-weather capability. |
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| Primary role | ||||||
| Air-launched, precision strike missile | Long-range, land-attack cruise missile | Long-range, air-launched cruise missile |
Medium-range, air-launched, all-weather glide missile |
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| Entered service | ||||||
| 1999 | 1984 | 1986 | 1998 | |||
| Length | ||||||
| 14 feet 4 inches | 18 feet 3 inches | 20 feet 9 inches | 13 feet 9 inches | |||
| Guidance | ||||||
| GPS and infrared seeker with video control and in-flight correction | GPS with digital terrain matching | GPS integrated with inertial navigation | GPS with inertial navigation and in-flight correction | |||
| Warhead | ||||||
| 510-pound high explosive fragmentation | 1,000-pound high explosive or bomblets | 2,000 or 3,000-pound high explosive fragmentation | 500 to 1,000 pound high-explosive or bomblets | |||
| SOURCES: Associated Press, Periscope; The Naval Institute Guide to the Ships and Aircraft of the U.S. Fleet; Federation of American Scientists | ||||||