CLASSIFICATION OF MISSILE.

Missiles are generally classified on basis of their Type, Launch Mode, Range, Propulsion, Warhead and
Guidance System..
TYPE
1. Cruise missiles : A cruise Missile is an Unm;anned self-propelled (till the time of impact ) guided
vehicle ...( means a missile with driver ) Cruise missiles Classified upon its Speed (1) subsonic cruise
missile {NIrbhay} (2) supersonic missile {Brahmos-1} (3) hypersonic missile {Brahmos-2}.
2. Ballistic missile : A ballistic missile is a missile that has a ballistic tractory ( like you throw a stone in
air ) over most of its flight path. ballistic missile carry huge payload compare to cruise missile. prithvi,
agni, dhanush are ballistic missiles of india .
3. Quasi ballistic missiles : A quasi ballistic missile (also called a semi ballistic missile) is a category of
missile that has a low trajectory and/or is largely ballistic but can perform maneuvers in flight or make
unexpected changes in direction and range India's Shaurya missile termed as Quasi Ballistic missile..
LAUNCH MODE :
1. Surface to Surface Missile: A surface-to-surface missile (SSM) or ground-to-ground missile (GGM or
GTGM) is a missile designed to be launched from the ground or the sea and strike targets on land or at
sea.{ prithvi agni shaurya dhanush}
2. Surface to air missile : A surface-to-air missile (SAM), or ground-to-air missile (GTAM), is a missile
designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles. It is one type of antiaircraft system. { aakash etc } (India owns the largest amount of anti aircraft wepons in the world)
3. Surface (Coast) To Sea missile : A surface to sea missiles is designed to be launched from land to ship
in the sea as target { brahmos }
4. Air to Air missile : An air to air missile is launched from an aircraft to destroy the enemy aircrafts. the
missile flies as a very high speed mostly over mach 3 .
5. Air to Surface missile : An air to surface missile is designed for launch from aircraft and strikes
targets on ground or sea.{brahmos etc.}
6. Sea to Sea Missile : A sea to sea missiles is designed for launch from one ship to another ship .
{brahmos, klub etc.}
7. Sea to surface(coast) missile : A sea to surface missile is designed for launch from ship to land based
targets { dhanush ,brahmos }
8. Anti Tank Missile : An anti tank missile is a guided missile primerily designed to hit and destroy
heavily armoured tanks and other armoured fighting vehicle..{india has largest number of anti tank
missiles}
RANGE :
1. Short range Missile : Range 1,000 km or less { prithvi agni 1 etc.}
2. Medium Range Missile: Range between 1,000 km and 3,500 km {agni-2 etc. }
3. Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile or long-range ballistic missile (LRBM): Range between 3,500 km
and 5,500 km {agni-3 agni-4}
4. Intercontinental Ballistic Missile :Range greater than 5500 km {agni-5}
PROPULSION :
1. Solid Propulsion : Solid fuel is used in solid propulsion . Solid propulsion has the advantage of being
easily stored and can be handled in fuelled condition. It can reach very high speeds quickly..
2. Liquid Propulsion : The liquid propulsion technology uses liquid as fuel , the storege of missile with
liquid fuel is very difficult and complex In addition preparation of missile takes considerable time then
solid fuel missile. liquid fuel gives high specific impulse as compared to solid fuel.

3. Hybrid Propulsion : There are two stage in hybrid propulsion solid and liquid propulsion this kind of
propulsion compensates the disadvanges of both propulsion system and has combined advantages of
the two .
4. Ramjet : A Ramjet engine does not have any turbines unlike turbojet engines.The Ramjet engine
operates at particular speed of vehicle where compression of incoming air at inlet is possible..the air is
slowed down by the shape of inlet and diffuser body inside..the compression of air along injection and
combustion of fuel inside the engine increases temperature of air.The exhaust air through Nozzles
create a forward motion where thrust overcomes the Drag.Thrust in simple terms is force that
accelerate body in air while Drag is air resistance Experienced..
5. Scarmjet : Scarmjet is an acronym for supersonic Combustion Ramjet the diffarance between
scarmjet and ramjet is that the combustion takes place at supersonic air velocities through the engine..
6. Cryogenic : Cryogenic propellants are liquefied gases stored at very low temperatures most
frequently liquid hydrogen as the fuel and liquid oxygen as the oxidizer ..
WARHEAD :
1. Conventional : A conventional warhead contains high energy explosives. it is filled with chemical
explosive and relies on the detonation of the explosive and the resulting metal casing fragments as kill
mechanisms.
2. Strategic : In a strategic warhead { mostly nuclear } radio active materials are present and when
triggerd they exibit huge radio activity that can wipe out even cities they are designed for mass
annihilation ...
GUIDANCE SYSTEM :
1. Wire Guidance : This system is broadly similar to radio command but is less susceptible to electronic
counter measures. the command signals are passed along a wire (or wires) dispensed from the missile
after launch.
2. Command Guidance : Command guidance is a type of missile guidance in which a ground station or
aircraft relay signals to a guided missile via radio (or possibly through a wire connecting the missile to
the launcher) and tell the missile where to steer in order to intercept its target.
3. Terrain comparison Guidance : Terrain Contour Matching, or TERCOM, is a navigation system used
primarily by cruise missiles. It uses a pre-recorded contour map of the terrain that is compared to
measurements made during flight by an on-board radar altimeter. A TERCOM system considerably
increases the accuracy of a missile compared to inertial navigation systems (INS). The increased
accuracy allows a TERCOM-equipped missile to fly closer to obstacles and generally lower altitudes,
making it harder to detect by ground radar.
4. Terrestrial Guidance : This system constantly measures star angles and compares them with the preprogrammed angles expected on the missiles intended tractory . The guidance system directs the
control system whenever and alteration trajectory is required.
5. Inertial Guidance : An inertial navigation system (INS) is a navigation aid that uses a computer,
motion sensors (accelerometers) and rotation sensors (gyroscopes) to continuously calculate via dead
reckoning the position, orientation, and velocity (direction and speed of movement) of a moving object
without the need for external references.
6. Beam Rider Guidance : The beam rider concept relies on an external ground or ship-based radar
station that transmits a beam of radar energy towards the target . The surface radar tracks the target
and also transmits a guidance beam that adjust its angle as the target moves across the sky.
7. Laser Guidance : Laser guidance is a technique of guiding a missile or other projectile or vehicle to a
target by means of a laser beam. Some laser guided systems utilise beam riding guidance, but most
operate more similarly to semi-active radar homing (SARH). This technique is sometimes called SALH,
for Semi-Active Laser Homing. With this technique, a laser is kept pointed at the target and the laser
radiation bounces off the target and is scattered in all directions (this is known as painting the target,
or laser painting)
8. RF and GPS Reference : RF (Radio Frequency) and GPS (globle Positioning System) are the examples
of technologies that are used in missiles guidance systems. A missile uses GPS signal to determine the

location of the target. Over the course of its flight,the weapon uses this information to send command
to control surface and adjusts its trajectory.In RF reference the missile uses RF waves to locate the
target...