Missile

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This article is about guided missiles. For unguided missiles, see Rocket (weapon). For other
uses, see Missile (disambiguation).

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A V-2 rocket launch by the Britishduring Operation Backfire

HNLMS De Zeven Provinciën(F802) firing a Harpoon

In modern language, a missile, also known as a guided missile, is a guided self-propelled

system, as opposed to an unguided self-propelled munition, referred to as a rocket (although
these too can also be guided). Missiles have four system components: targeting or missile
guidance, flight system, engine, and warhead. Missiles come in types adapted for different
purposes: surface-to-surface and air-to-surface missiles (ballistic, cruise, anti-ship, anti-tank,
etc.), surface-to-air missiles (and anti-ballistic), air-to-air missiles, and anti-satellite weapons. All
known existing missiles are designed to be propelled during powered flight by chemical reactions
inside a rocket engine, jet engine, or other type of engine.[citation needed] Non-self-propelled
airborne explosive devices are generally referred to as shells and usually have a shorter range
than missiles.
In ordinary British-English usage predating guided weapons, a missile is such as objects thrown
at players by rowdy spectators at a sporting event.[1]