Early Developments in Precision Munitions
The development of precision guided munitions (PGMs) began during World War II as militaries sought to increase the accuracy of air-dropped bombs. Some of the earliest precision weapons were radio-controlled and television-guided bombs designed by the United States and United Kingdom. While primitive, these systems demonstrated the potential of guidance technologies to allow aircraft to strike targets with increased accuracy from higher altitudes and standoff ranges. Throughout the Cold War, militaries continued advancing optical, infrared, radar, and semi-active laser guidance systems. Major milestones included the development of the AGM-12 Bullpup air-to-surface missile by the U.S. Navy in the 1950s as well as optical and TV-guided bombs. However, many early precision systems had limited ranges and functionality.
The Rise of Laser Guidance
A major breakthrough came with the introduction of the laser-guided bomb (LGB) in the Vietnam War. Developed by Texas Instruments, the Paveway series of LGBs dramatically improved accuracy when striking static targets. An operator or aircraft would use a laser designator to “paint” the target, guiding the bomb to the point of laser illumination. This allowed aircraft to attack targets previously considered too hazardous to attack with unguided munitions. The LGB’s successes demonstrated that most targets could be destroyed accurately from standoff ranges if provided accurate target location data. Both the U.S. and allied militaries rapidly increased their use of laser-guided munitions during the war. Hundreds of thousands of Paveway bombs were produced and became a mainstay munition well into the 1990s and 2000s until being replaced by newer “smart” munitions.
The Precision Revolution in Modern Warfare
The true revolution came with the Gulf War in 1991 as precision-guided munitions became a core part of U.S. and Allied air operations. New generations of GPS and inertial navigation-guided “smart” bombs like the GBU-24 Paveway III and GBU-28 “Bunker Buster” provided all-weather, day-and-night precision targeting capabilities. Massive stockpiles of PGMs allowed aircraft to methodically destroy high-value targets across Iraq while minimizing civilian casualties. This provided a template for future air campaigns emphasizing precision over mass bombing. Subsequent conflicts saw greater use of additional advanced weaponry like the AGM-130 guided missile and AGM-154 Joint Standoff Weapon offering standoff targeting from over 100 km away. Their use proliferated in wars like Iraq and Afghanistan, becoming standard munitions across Western air forces.
Integrating PGMs on Unmanned Systems
As drone technology matured, integrating precision munitions onto unmanned aerial systems became a natural evolution. This allowed armed drones to carry out precision airstrikes on their own against elusive ground targets. Early drones primarily conducted intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, but demonstrating lethal strike capability expanded their operational scope. Today’s MQ-9 Reaper carries an array of Hellfire missiles and laser-guided bombs, giving commanders flexible long-endurance strike options. Over wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere, drones have conducted thousands of precision air attacks against high-value individuals. However, drone strikes have faced criticism over civilian harm concerns in places like Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen where terrorist groups mix among civilians. Nonetheless, drones remain a potent precision-strike technology deeply integrated into modern conflicts.
Evolving Capabilities for Future Conflicts
Looking ahead, militaries are developing even more revolutionary precision munitions. Hypervelocity projectiles can reach mach-7 speeds for rapid target engagements. “Loitering” munitions provide long flight durations to identify targets. Kinetic energy rockets destroy fortified targets with no warhead. Miniaturized guidance kits enableprecise strikes from small launches. Dual-mode laser/GPS fuses provide all-weather precision for legacy bombs. Advanced jamming resistant inertial/GPS hybridizations ensure precision amid electronic warfare. New warheads like EMP bombs or kinematics-based penetrators expand target sets. While controversies remain, precision offered by these systems may mitigate civilian harm over less discriminate arsenals, minimizing collateral damage of future conflicts from extended ranges. As technology spreads, precision capabilities will likely shape warfare doctrines worldwide in unforeseen ways for decades to come.
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- Source: Coherent Market Insights, Public sources, Desk research
- We have leveraged AI tools to mine information and compile it
