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Umm, "modern ones"? Meaning practically the first one, Sidewinder: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-9_Sidewinder#History http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-9_Side
by Gravityloss 14y ago
Umm, "modern ones"? Meaning practically the first one, Sidewinder:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-9_Sidewinder#History http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM-9_Sidewinder#History
"The Sidewinder also included a dramatically improved guidance algorithm. The Enzian attempted to fly directly at its target, feeding the direction of the telescope into the control system as it if were a joystick. This meant the missile always flew directly at its target, and under most conditions would end up behind it, "chasing" it down. This meant that the missile had to have enough of a speed advantage over its target that it did not run out of fuel during the interception.
The Sidewinder is not guided on the actual position recorded by the detector, but on the change in position since the last sighting. "
- InclinedPlane 14y agoBy "modern" I mean a subset of systems which excludes first generation systems as well as some second and other generation systems, it's generally just simpler to say "modern" than be more specific. If I said "modern computers use integrated circuits" the timeline of modernity would be clear, I don't mean state of the art, just not archaic.
- badgar 14y ago> By "modern" I mean a subset of systems which excludes first generation systems as well as some second and other generation systems The word you're looking for is "mature."
- InclinedPlane 14y agoMaturity of a technological system to me implies a plateau of design, but that's not the case in missile guidance. Current generation systems are significantly more advanced and more capable than previous generation systems.
- Gravityloss 14y agoYes, sorry for nitpicking but I just think that the word choice was perhaps not good. I'd think modern missiles means something much more recent easily, when this is talking about something practically existent for the whole development time of missiles. Sidewinder development was started in 1946.