aerial guided munition

military technology

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July 23, 2026

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An aerial guided munition, often referred to as an air-to-ground missile (AGM), is a type of precision-guided munition. Unlike a bomb that falls solely by gravity, a smart bomb is equipped with wings or fins that have control surfaces. These surfaces move in response to guidance commands, allowing the bomb to adjust its descent angle or direction, essentially gliding to its target with high accuracy.123

Guidance systems for these munitions can be electro-optical, infrared, or laser-based. Laser-guided bombs, for instance, are directed by a laser beam illuminating the target, which the bomb's sensors lock onto. These guided munitions enable smaller aircraft to effectively attack stationary targets with fewer munitions compared to older "carpet bombing" techniques. They were notably used in conflicts like the Vietnam War and the Persian Gulf War.34

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rocket and missile system
Air-to-surface
…these was the AGM-12 (for aerial guided munition) Bullpup, a rocket-powered weapon that employed visual tracking and radio-transmitted command guidance. The pilot controlled the missile by means of a small side-mounted joystick and guided it toward the target by observing a small flare in its tail. Though Bullpup was simple…
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…these was the AGM-12 (for aerial guided munition) Bullpup, a rocket-powered weapon that employed visual tracking and radio-transmitted command guidance. The pilot controlled the missile by means of a small side-mounted joystick and guided it toward the target by observing a small flare in its tail. Though Bullpup was simple…
Read More