Explosive weapons have been used in warfare for hundreds of years. More than 25,000 people died in 2024 alone due to explosive weapons. Here I'm going to describe some popular terms and types of explosive weapons.
Related Terms
- Warhead: The explosive part of a missile or rocket that causes damage on impact.
- Payload: The part that carries the warhead or any other equipment.
- Launcher: The platform used to fire the missile.
- Propellant: The fuel that powers the rocket or missile. Can be liquid or solid.
- Guidance system: The technology that helps the missile to adjust its path during flight to hit the target. It uses sensors like radar, GPS, laser etc to steer in real time.
- Speed: The speed of sound is known as Mach 1, which is 1234 kilometers per hour. Anything speeding more than sound is known as supersonic. So, if a missile has a maximum speed of 3700 km/h then it is a Mach 3 (3700⁄1234 ≈ 3) supersonic missile.
Popular medium to long range explosive weapons
- Rocket: An unguided weapon, meaning no guidance system is available on it. Once launched in a direction, it follows a parabolic path toward the target. It is propelled by its own rocket engine, which generates thrust to move forward. Without a guidance system, it is more vulnerable to the wind and air defense systems.
- Missile: This can be considered a guided rocket, meaning just like a rocket but it has a guidance system within it. That's why it can be launched from several thousand kilometers away from the target. Missiles can be launched from land, air and sea. It has two types: ballistic missile and cruise missile.
- Ballistic Missile: It is a rocket engine propelled missile, follows ballistic or parabolic path. First using a rocket booster, it reaches a very high altitude. After releasing the booster, it uses the remaining kinetic energy and gravity to move forward. Ballistic missiles reach speeds of up to Mach 25 and travel distances up to 10,000 km. Those are called Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles(ICBMs). After the booster is released, no propellant remained. But the missile can slightly adjust its path using aerodynamic surfaces. That's why it heavily relies on the launch stage.
- Cruise Missile: It is a jet engine propelled missile, that can fly at low altitudes, change direction during flight. Unlike the ballistic missile, it continuously burns fuel to move forward until it hits the target. It is mostly used for a target less than 1,000 km away.
- Torpedo: An underwater short-range guided missile. Its range is only tens of kilometers. It is launched from a marine vehicle and targets another marine vehicle. Due to its underwater-moving nature, it is extremely devastating for the navy.
- Artillery: A short to medium range weapon, that uses unguided artillery shells as firepower. Cannons, tank guns, mortars are different types of artillery based on range and mobility.