Overview Flashcards
“Shorter-ragned weapons designed for use in the immediate combat area”
Tactical Guided Missile
Cruise Missile
“Range up to 2500 km, powered by air-breating engines” that provide almost continuous propulsion along a low, level flight path.
Ballistic Missile
Global range, rocket propelled for the first part of the flight then follows ballistic trajectory.
Describe the different speeds of missiles:
Subsonic
Supersonic
Hypersonic
Subsonic: < 1 Ma
Supersonic: 2-3 Ma
Hypersonic: > 5 Ma
Give ranges for IRBMs and ICBMs
IRBMs: 2750 - 5000 km
ICBMs: > 5000 km
Define:
Offensive missiles
Defensive Missiles
Offensive Missiles: strike the enemy
Defensive Missiles: protect own units
Describe the Launch Sequence
- Handshake
- Target data upload
- Engine test (Point of no return)
- Launch
What are the phases of the missile flight path?
Boost: Brought up to flight speed and stable flight path.
Midcourse: Guides missile near the target. Not all missiles have a midcourse phase.
Terminal: Actively closes onto target.
Define: Relative wind
The ariflow a missile experiences as it moves through the air
Define: Angle of Attack
The angle between the oncoming air or the relative wind and the chord.
Define: Induced Drag
Wingtip vortices result in downwash which reduces the effective angle of attack, increasing theoverall drag.
Define: Parasitic Drag
Includes Form Drag and Friction Drag
Define: Center of pressure:
Lift and drag act through the centre of pressure.
Moves as the AoA moves.
“The ability of the missile to maintain equilibrium and return to its original flight path after a disturbance”
Stability
How does the CG of the missile in relation to the CP affect stability?
When the CG is in front of the CP, then as the missile rotates down, the AoA will decrease, decreasing lift, reducing the downward rotating moment.
Define: Stall
A reduction in the lift coefficient generated by a surface as the angle of the attack increases.
When the critical angle of attack is exceeded and there is flow separation, breaking continuity in the flow circulation.
“the purpose is to place a weapon into a lfight path as rapidly as the situtation demands.”
Launching System
What are requirements of launching systems?
Speed
Reliability
Safety
Compatibility
What are 3 types of launchers?
Rail
Canister
Platform
Rail Launcher
Canister Launcher (invludes VLS)
Platform Launcher
Define: Telemetry
The process of collecting missile flight data in an automated communications sytem in order to improve performance and provide safety and control.
