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How does active guidance allow a missile to track a target?
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rocket and missile system
U.S. soldiers firing an FGM-148 Javelin antitank guided missile during training in Grafenwöhr, Ger., 2006.
Active guidance allows a missile to track a target by utilizing self-contained, onboard systems to generate and emit energy toward the target. By detecting the energy that reflects back from the target, the missile can autonomously track its position and adjust its flight path accordingly.1
This method is frequently employed for terminal homing, particularly in air-to-air, surface-to-air, and antiship missiles that utilize integrated radar systems. While effective for independent tracking, active guidance carries the inherent disadvantage of relying on emissions that can be detected, jammed, or deceived by enemy decoys.1