23-05-2014, 02:38 PM
Smart Bombs – Precision Guided Weapons
Smart Bombs .ppt (Size: 970 KB / Downloads: 13)
INTRODUCTION
Smart bombs are weapons capable of destroying enemy targets without the need for a launch aircraft to penetrate the envelopes of the air defense systems. These essentially comprise a terminal guidance unit that guides them in the last phase to achieve pinpoint accuracy. Increased accuracy means that a single, moderate-size bomb can give a better result than multiple strikes with larger, non-guided bombs.
The Bomb
Consists of explosive material packed into a sturdy case consisting of a fuze mechanism
Fuze has a triggering device -typically a time-delay system, an impact sensor or a target-proximity sensor
Trigger goes off -> Fuze ignites the explosive -> Extreme Pressure and flying debris -> Serious Damage
‘Dumb’ Bombs
Consists only of the basic elements mentioned above
Used through WW-I & WW-II
Simply falls to the ground without actively steering itself
Resulted in ‘Carpet Bombing’ – still 95% misses – immense collateral damage
How they work
In flight like gliders i.e. no propulsion system but forward velocity & ability to stabilize and steer
Intelligence lies with the sensor and control systems
Sensor system tracks target -> Control System figures out how to steer towards target -> adjustments by the flight fins
Adjustments continue till impact.
Conclusions
Precision-guided weapons, especially those equipped with GPS technology, have greatly improved the military’s strike capabilities and reduced many of the difficulties of war.
However, there are still significant improvements that can be made to maximize the efficiency of modern weapons technology.