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To: finnman69

So why do they call them "ballistic" missles?


61 posted on 07/17/2006 12:26:03 PM PDT by ichabod1 (I have to take a shower.)
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To: ichabod1

. Not sure why they called it that other than it's range, but it is an unguided rocket.

The scud for instance is a guided ballistic missile


63 posted on 07/17/2006 12:38:35 PM PDT by finnman69 (cum puella incedit minore medio corpore sub quo manifestu s globus, inflammare animos)
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To: ichabod1
So why do they call them "ballistic" missles?

That term is usually a reference to (guided) missiles which are ground-launched, and impact on the ground (like a bullet). Air-to-Air and Surface-to-Air missiles aren't intended to impact the ground, therefore no reference to the ballistic arc. However, a surface-to-surface weapon is going to come down *somewhere* (and it really doesn't become "ballistic" until it runs out of thrust).

The steering capability only makes the weapon more accurate - it's still ballistic in nature.

72 posted on 07/17/2006 1:10:24 PM PDT by Charles Martel (Free Travis!)
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