“Concept Paper on Missile Capability Acquisition for

External Defense Requirement of the Philippines”

By: Commander Alfred Kenneth S Tingabngab III PN

I. INTRODUCTION:

A) Background

The Armed Forces of the Philippines, under the Department of National Defense, adheres
and conforms with the Philippine Government foreign policy of adopting a defensive stance in the
aspect of External Defense. It’s Constitutional mandate of protecting the Sovereignty of the State,
securing the territorial boundaries and patrimonial resources of the country and protecting the
Filipino people requires that the defense establishment competently and properly equip – materially
and non-materially - its forces in order to accomplished such tall order.

While maintaining its defensive posture in addressing potential threats which may come
from outside of its territorial jurisdiction, the DND-AFP must also be properly equip to conduct a
myriad of capabilities that impacts on the internal security and promotes the development of the
country.

In equipping the Armed Forces in order to effectively and efficiently address its multifarious
missions and tasks, it is imperative that the Government, through the Defense Department,
determine the proper weapon systems, equipments and tools which must be acquired to sustain the
fighting confidence and core competencies of its forces. The acquisition of material or tangible
assets must be duly complemented with support systems and mechanisms that will further sustain
the utility of these material resources. The mutually supporting and complementary nature of
acquired material and non-material resources, as epitome in the AFP Modernization Program and its
five sub-programs, make up the military capability that the organization seeks to project, use,
maintain and sustain in accomplishing its mandate.

On weapon systems capacity, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, as a matter of dismal
fact, sincerely lags behind its neighboring countries in the region in terms of technology and
applications. One of technological advantage of other countries is their acquisition and development
of missile systems as tools for deterrence and force persuasion or projection through engaging and
launching offensive actions against any forms of high value threat. Missile application places
emphasis on strategic and / or high value targets or threat considering cost of the weapon system
itself which is an issue of Return of Investment (ROI).

The AFP had a taste of such missile capability in the 1970’s when the Philippine Air Force
maintained Sidewinder Missiles for its squadrons of F-5 Freedom Fighter Jets. Even so, such
capability was narrowed to Air to Air Missile capability only and expansion of such missile systems
was not developed to include Ground to Air, Surface to Surface, Surface to Air, among others.
Sadly, the PAF missile capability went on a downhill spiral with issues pertaining to logistics
management as well as the fact that in the first half of the 2000 decade, the F5 Jets were
decommissioned and put out of service.
 At present, the AFP no longer has the missile capability that it once had, in a limited way.
The only semblance of such capability left are the direct fire rockets carried primarily by
helicopters. The application of the air-to-air missile for external defense during aircraft interdiction
mission profiles in cases of unauthorized breach in the Philippine air space is no longer in existence.

B) The Problem

Given the brief exposure by the AFP on missile capability as experienced by the PAF and
considering that technologically advance weapons systems, particularly missiles, are credible
capabilities that projects the fighting confidence and capacity of a military force vis-à-vis the
mandate of the DND-AFP, such capability gap or vacuum must be accordingly filled or addressed.

On the aspect of applying missiles for external defense requirement, taking into account the
archipelagic and geographic characteristic of our territorial frontier needing defense and security, it
is a must that various / different delivery or launch methodologies as well as an array of weapon
systems with various lethality and range criteria be considered. Missile Capability acquisition must
look into Ground Mobile Missile Batteries; Ship launched missile systems and Aircraft (Fixed
Winged and Helicopter) launched missiles systems, at the very least. In all of the three general
classifications of missiles recommended to be acquired, guided systems for weapon plays a critical
cost driver.

II. CONCEPT

The acquisition of the missile capability can be undertaken through various approaches;
however, as a matter of indisputable fact and like any other acquisition or procurement activity, the
program will be constrained with cost and funding issues. Likewise, missile capability for external
defense will be influenced by deployment and employment doctrines and rules of engagement,
respectively, which will take into consideration identification of strategic locations and platforms
for these systems in order to optimize the use of the system. Nonetheless, herewith are the various
approaches to missile capability acquisition, under a government to government procurement
program with corresponding and realistic financing payment scheme package as instrument for
realization and completion:

Option 1: Acquisition of missile capability shall be done by Major Services and within a
period 5 years for each Service, taking into account production and integration cycles for the
weapon system. The program should be start with the Philippine Navy for its designated Capital
Ships that will need missile mounting re-configuration. The Navy needs to be prioritize for this
program considering that it already has the platforms that will carry such weapon system. The range
of weapons effectiveness can be extended by the ships conducting territorial defense patrols. The
PAF could not yet accommodate such system on their fixed winged aircrafts currently in their
inventory; however, PAF can consider accommodating air-to-surface or air-to-air missiles for their
rotary assets, particularly the Combat Utility Helicopters (CUH) and Night Capable Attack
Helicopter (NCAH) which they are currently acquiring and provided further that these assets have
provisions for the mounting of missiles. The PA ground mobile missile launchers could be
accommodate last in the phasing in of such weapon system as the quantity required and utility of
such ground assets would be limited due to geographic considerations. The PA may consider
acquiring Surface to Air and limited range Surface to Surface missiles.
 Options 2: Acquisition of missile capability shall be done simultaneously by the Major
Services; however, the program can be stretch for a longer period of time and until requirements are
fully met. Similar to option 1, this option can accommodate skills training of personnel during the
life of the phasing in of the weapon system in each Major Service.

Option 3: Acquisition of missile capability may be undertaken using a combination of both

options 1 and 2; however, it must be provided that one unit of each class of missile system be used
not only for training but also as a dedicated prototype for reverse-engineering and / or research and
development with the end objective of tapping the Self-Reliant Defense Program (SRDP) for the
eventual setting up of a local production line for either a similar and / or improved model of the
prototype system.

Option 4: Acquisition of missile capability be limited to only the PN and PAF with the PA
specializing competence on Field Artillery. Again, PN and PAF may use options 1 and 2 or a
combination of both options in the realization of the program.

III.IMPLEMENTATION

If the acquisition of the missile capability will be pursued, then, the following stages will
have to be seriously undertaken:

a. Identifying and defining missile needs requirement

b. Defense and AFP Hard Core Stand on the acquisition of missile capability
c. Stakeholder advocacy and management
d. Government to Government Procurement with Financing Package
e. Doctrine Development and Training Cycles in tandem with Production
f. Installation and System Integration Module with Training
g. Operation and Maintenance with Training
h. System Handling and Storage of ILS or replacement provisions
i. Open Systems / Research and Development with Training
j. Reproduction and Upgrading of System
k. Secured Decommissioning or Disposal of Systems

IV. CONCLUSION

The acquisition of missile systems for external defense posture is a program whose time has
come. The realization of the program, even if implemented in phases due to cost and funding
factors, addresses the capability gaps for over-the-horizon weapon and damage-to-enemy-forces
delivery. The program also assures the beneficiary organization – the AFP – of an entry in
technological advancement in weapon system which shall boost confidence in undertaking core
mission and promote initiatives for improvements in operational performance. It seeks to lessen the
weapon systems gap awareness and capability with neighboring armed forces.

The acquisition of missile capability using the government to government procurement

approach with financing payment scheme addresses not only upfront funding limitations but the
same will also guarantee quality products as well as an assurance that friendly and allied nations
also carry such weapon system in their inventory thereby allowing joint operations capacity when
such type of operations are required in the future. Likewise, since such weapon system is in an
allied country’s inventory, the capacity for this country for maintenance and training can be easily
requested or tapped as a resource for maintenance and training.

V. RECOMMENDATION

Based on the foregoing, the Philippine Navy recommends consideration and approval of the
proposed concept for the acquisition of missile capability in order to address the external defense
requirement of the country. However, sustainment programs – logistics management – for the
missile capability should be inputted in the decision making criteria.

Relative to the recommendation of establishing a Missile Capability Acquisition Program is

a parallel recommendation for the consideration of a Torpedo and Mine Capability Acquisition
Program. Torpedo could either be launched in various platforms – through ships and watercrafts or
from aircraft, to include coastal launched capability, as the latter could be an armed component of
the established Coast Watch System.

VI. REFERENCES / RELATED ARTICLES

About Missiles
Missile Désignation Protocol
About Missiles

A missile is a self-propelled projectile used as a weapon. Missiles are typically propelled by rockets
or jet engines. Missiles generally have one or more explosive warheads, although other weapon
types may also be used.

Etymology

The word missile comes from the Latin verb mittere, meaning "to send".

In common military parlance, the word missile describes a powered, guided munition, whilst the
word rocket describes a powered, unguided munition. Unpowered, guided munitions are known as
guided bombs. A common further sub-division is to consider ballistic missile to mean a munition
that follows a ballistic trajectory and cruise missile to describe a munition that generates lift.

Early development

The first missiles to be used operationally were a series of German missiles of WW2. Most famous
of these are the V1 and V2, both of which used a simple mechanical autopilot to keep the missile
flying along a pre-chosen route. Less well known were a series of anti-shipping and anti-aircraft
missiles, typically based on a simple radio control system directed by the operator. However, these
early systems had a high failure rate so they were very unreliable.

Technology

Guided missiles have a number of different system components:

• targeting and/or guidance

• flight system
• engine
• warhead

Guidance systems

Missiles may be targeted in a number of ways. The most common method is to use some form of
radiation, such as infra-red, lasers or radio waves, to guide the missile onto its target. This radiation
may emanate from the target (such as the heat of an engine or the radio waves from an enemy
radar), it may be provided by the missile itself (such as a radar) or it may be provided by a friendly
third party (such as the radar of the launch vehicle/platform, or a laser designator operated by
friendly infantry). The first two are often known as fire and forget as they need no further support or
control from the launch vehicle/platform in order to function. Another method is to use a TV
camera - using either visible light or infra-red - in order to see the target. The picture may be used
either by a human operator who steers the missile onto its target, or by a computer doing much the
same job. Many missiles use a combination of two or more of the above methods, to improve
accuracy and the chances of a successful engagement.
Targeting systems

Another method is to target the missile by knowing the location of the target, and using a guidance
system such as INS, TERCOM or GPS. This guidance system guides the missile by knowing the
missile's current position and the position of the target, and then calculating a course between them.
This job can also be performed somewhat crudely by a human operator who can see the target and
the missile, and guides it using either cable or radio based remote-control. These types of missiles
are accurate enough to hit a CEP of .5 ft.

Flight system

Whether a guided missile uses a targeting system, a guidance system or both, it needs a flight
system. The flight system uses the data from the targeting or guidance system to maneuver the
missile in flight, allowing it to counter inaccuracies in the missile or to follow a moving target.
There are two main systems: vectored thrust (for missiles that are powered throughout the guidance
phase of their flight) and aerodynamic maneuvering (wings, fins, canards, etc).

Engine

Missiles are powered by an engine, generally either a type of rocket or jet engine. Rockets are
generally of the solid fuel type for ease of maintenance and fast deployment, although some larger
ballistic missiles use liquid fuel rockets. Jet engines are generally used in cruise missiles, most
commonly of the turbojet type, due to its relative simplicity and low frontal area. Ramjets are the
only other common form of jet engine propulsion, although any type of jet engine could
theoretically be used. Missiles often have multiple engine stages, particularly in those launched
from the ground - these stages may all be of similar types or may include a mix of engine types.

Warhead

The warhead or warheads of a missile provides its primary destructive power (many missiles have
extensive secondary destructive power due to the high kinetic energy of the weapon and unburnt
fuel that may be on board). Warheads are most commonly of the high explosive type, often
employing shaped charges to exploit the accuracy of a guided weapon to destroy hardened targets.
Other warhead types include submunitions, incendiaries, nuclear weapons, chemical, biological or
radiological weapons or kinetic energy penetrators.

Basic roles

Missiles are generally categorized by their launch platform and intended target - in broadest terms
these will either be surface (ground or water) or air, and then sub-categorized by range and the exact
target type (such as anti-tank or anti-ship). Many weapons are designed to be launched from both
surface or the air, and a few are designed to attack either surface or air targets (such as the ADATS
missile). Most weapons require some modification in order to be launched from the air or ground,
such as adding boosters to the ground launched version.

Surface-to-Surface/Air-to-Surface
Surface-to-surface missile

A surface-to-surface missile (also, ground-to-ground missile, SSM or GTGM) is a guided

projectile launched from a hand-held, vehicle mounted, trailer mounted or fixed installation or from
a ship. They are often powered by a rocket motor or sometimes fired by an explosive charge, since
the launching platform is typically stationary or moving slowly. They usually have fins and/or
wings for lift and stability, although hyper-velocity or short-ranged missiles may utilise body lift or
fly a ballistic trajectory. The Fieseler Fi 103 (also known as the "V1") was the first surface-to-
surface missile.

Contemporary surface-to-surface missiles are usually guided. An unguided surface-to-surface

missile is usually referred to as a rocket (for example, an RPG-7 or M72 LAW is an anti-tank rocket
whereas a BGM-71 TOW or AT-2 Swatter is an anti-tank guided missile).

Surface-to-surface missiles are usually broken down into a number of categories:

• ballistic missiles travel in a high trajectory, motor burns out partway through flight
o tactical SSMs are usually short-range ballistic missiles (SRBMs), <1,000 km (600
mi)
o strategic SSMs are usually:
 medium-range ballistic missiles (MRBMs), 1,000–3,000 km (600-2,000 mi)
 intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs), 3,000–4,800 km (2,000-3,000
mi)
 long-range ballistic missiles (LRBMs), 4,800-8,000 km (3,000–5,000 mi)
 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), >8,000 km (5,000 mi)
 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), various ranges
• cruise missiles travel low to the ground, motor burns during entire flight, typical range
2,500 km (1,500 mi)
• anti-tank guided missiles travel low to the ground, may or may not burn motor throughout
flight, typical range 5 km (3 mi)
• anti-ship missiles travel low over the ground and sea, often pop up or jink before striking
ship, typical range 130 km (80 mi)

Different parties break down missile type by the range differently. For example, the United States
Department of Defense has no definition for LRBM, and thus defines an ICBM as those missiles
with ranges greater than 5,500 km (3500 mi). The International Institute for Strategic Studies also
does not define a range for LRBMs, and defines SRBMs as having somewhat shorter ranges than
the definition of the Department of Defense.

Air-to-surface missile

An air-to-surface missile (also, air-to-ground missile, AGM, ASM or ATGM) is a missile

designed to be launched from military aircraft (bombers, attack aircraft, fighter aircraft or other
kinds) and strike ground targets on land, at sea, or both. They are similar to guided glide bombs but
to be considered a missile, they usually contain some form of propulsion system. The two most
common propulsion systems for air-to-surface missiles are rocket motors and jet engines. These
also tend to correspond to the range of the missiles — short and long, respectively. Some Soviet air-
to-surface missiles are powered by ramjets, giving them both long range and high speed.

Guidance for air-to-surface missiles is typically via laser guidance, infrared guidance, optical
guidance or via GPS signals. The type of guidance depends on the type of target. Ships, for
example, may be detected via passive or active radar, while this would not work very well against
land targets which typically do not contain such a large mass of metal surrounded by empty space.

There is some cross-over between air-to-surface missiles and surface-to-surface missiles. For
example, there was an air-launched version of the Tomahawk missile, although this has been
superseded by the AGM-86 ALCM. Other missiles used in both roles include the Penguin anti-ship
missile and AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile. Many air-to-surface missiles can be used against
both ships and land targets, although some of them have to be modified to perform both roles
effectively. For example, the Standoff Land Attack Missile is a land-attack version of the Harpoon.

One of the major advantages of air-to-surface missiles over other weapons available for aircraft to
use to attack ground targets is the standoff distance they provide. This allows them to launch the
weapons outside the most intense air defences around the target site. Most air-to-surface missiles
are fire-and-forget in order to take most advantage of the standoff distance — they allow the
launching platform to turn away after launch. Some missiles have enough range to be launched over
the horizon. These missiles (typically either cruise or anti-ship missiles) need to be able to find and
home in on the target autonomously.

Sub-categories of air-to-surface missiles include:

• air-launched anti-tank guided missiles (typically launched from helicopters)

• air-launched cruise missiles
• air-launched anti-ship missiles
• anti-radiation missiles

Typically, the higher and faster the launching aircraft is flying, the further away the missile's target
can be. For long range missiles this difference can be small, but short range missiles (like the AGM-
65 Maverick) often dramatically increase in range when launched at altitude.

There have been examples of air-launched ballistic missiles, but they are rare. Sometimes air-to-
surface missiles are divided into the categories of tactical and strategic. Typically this indicates
conventional explosive or small nuclear warhead (tactical) and large nuclear warhead (strategic).

Ballistic

Ballistic missile

After the boost-stage, ballistic missiles follow a trajectory mainly determined by ballistics. The
guidance is for relatively small deviations from that.

Ballistic missiles are largely used for land attack missions. Although normally associated with
nuclear weapons, some conventionally armed ballistic missiles are in service, such as ATACMS.
The V2 had demonstrated that a ballistic missile could deliver a warhead to a target city with no
possibility of interception, and the introduction of nuclear weapons meant it could do useful damage
when it arrived. The accuracy of these systems was fairly poor, but post-war development by most
military forces improved the basic inertial platform concept to the point where it could be used as
the guidance system on ICBMs flying thousands of miles. Today the ballistic missile represents the
only strategic deterrent in most military forces; the USAFs continued support of manned bombers is
considered by some to be entirely political in nature.[citation needed] Ballistic missiles are primarily
surface launched, with air launch being theoretically possible using a weapon such as the cancelled
Skybolt missile.

Cruise

Cruise missile

The V1 had been successfully intercepted during World War II, but this did not make the cruise
missile concept entirely useless. After the war, the US deployed a small number of nuclear-armed
cruise missiles in Germany, but these were considered to be of limited usefulness. Continued
research into much longer ranged and faster versions led to the US's Navaho missile, and its Soviet
counterparts, the Burya and Buran cruise missile. However, these were rendered largely obsolete by
the ICBM, and none were used operationally. Shorter-range developments have become widely
used as highly accurate attack systems, such as the US Tomahawk missile or the German Taurus
missile.

Cruise missiles are generally associated with land attack operations, but also have an important role
as anti-shipping weapons. They are primarily launched from air, sea or submarine platforms in both
roles, although land based launchers also exist.

Anti-ship

Another major German missile development project was the anti-shipping class (such as the Fritz X
and Henschel Hs 293), intended to stop any attempt at a cross-channel invasion. However the
British were able to render their systems useless by jamming their radios, and missiles with wire
guidance were not ready by D-Day. After the war the anti-shipping class slowly developed, and
became a major class in the 1960s with the introduction of the low-flying turbojet powered cruise
missiles known as "sea-skimmers". These became famous during the Falklands War when an
Argentine Exocet missile sank a Royal Navy destroyer.

A number of anti-submarine missiles also exist; these generally use the missile in order to deliver
another weapon system such as a torpedo or depth charge to the location of the submarine, at which
point the other weapon will conduct the underwater phase of the mission.

Anti-tank

Main article: Anti-tank guided missile

By the end of WWII all forces had widely introduced unguided rockets using HEAT warheads as
their major anti-tank weapon (see Panzerfaust, Bazooka). However these had a limited useful range
of a 100 m or so, and the Germans were looking to extend this with the use of a missile using wire
guidance, the X-7. After the war this became a major design class in the later 1950s, and by the
1960s had developed into practically the only non-tank anti-tank system in general use. During the
1973 Yom Kippur War between Israel and Egypt, the 9M14 Malyutka (aka "Sagger") man-portable
anti-tank missile proved potent against Israeli tanks. While other guidance systems have been tried,
the basic reliability of wire-guidance means this will remain the primary means of controlling anti-
tank missile in the near future. Anti tank missiles may be launched from aircraft, vehicles or by
ground troops in the case of smaller weapons.

Surface-to-air

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. It is a type of anti-aircraft system.

Land-based SAMs can be deployed from fixed installations or mobile launchers, either wheeled or
tracked. The tracked vehicles are usually armoured vehicles specifically designed to carry SAMs.
Larger SAMs may be deployed in fixed launchers, but can be towed/re-deployed at will. The
smallest of SAMs are capable of being carried and launched by a single person. These types of
SAM are also referred to as Man-Portable Air Defence Systems (MANPADS). Soviet MANPADS
have been exported around the world and can still be found in many of their former client states.
Other nations have developed their own MANPADS. Ship-based SAMs are in widespread use.
Virtually all surface warships can be armed with SAMs (see list below). In fact, naval SAMs are a
necessity for all front-line surface warships. Some warship types specialise in anti-air warfare e.g.
Ticonderoga-class cruisers equipped with the Aegis combat system or Kirov class cruisers with the
S-300PMU Favorite missile system.

Targets for non-ManPAD SAMs will usually be acquired by air-search radar, then tracked
before/while a SAM is "locked-on" and then fired. Potential targets, if they are military aircraft, will
be identified as friend or foe before being engaged.

Development of surface-to-air missiles began in Nazi Germany (hard pressed by Allied air
superiority) during late World War II with missiles such as the Wasserfall though no working
system was deployed before the war's end.

Anti-aircraft

By 1944 US and British air forces were sending huge air fleets over occupied Europe, increasing the
pressure on the Luftwaffe day and night fighter forces. The Germans were keen to get some sort of
useful ground-based anti-aircraft system into operation. Several systems were under development,
but none had reached operational status before the war's end. The US Navy also started missile
research to deal with the Kamikaze threat. By 1950 systems based on this early research started to
reach operational service, including the US Army's Nike Ajax, the Navy's "3T's" (Talos, Terrier,
Tartar), and soon followed by the Soviet S-25 Berkut and S-75 Dvina and French and British
systems. Anti-aircraft weapons exist for virtually every possible launch platform, with surface
launched systems ranging from huge, self propelled or ship mounted launchers to man portable
systems.
Anti-ballistic

Like most missiles, the Arrow missile and MIM-104 Patriot for defense against short-range
missiles, carry explosives.

However, in the case of a large closing speed, a projectile without explosives is used, just a collision
is sufficient to destroy the target. See Missile Defense Agency for the following systems being
developed:

• Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI)

• Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System (Aegis BMD) - a SM-3 missile with Lightweight
Exo-Atmospheric Projectile (LEAP) Kinetic Warhead (KW)

Air-to-air

German experience in WWII demonstrated that destroying a large aircraft was quite difficult, and
they had invested considerable effort into air-to-air missile systems to do this. Their Me262's jets
often carried R4M rockets, and other types of "bomber destroyer" aircraft had unguided rockets as
well. In the post-war period the R4M served as the pattern for a number of similar systems, used by
almost all interceptor aircraft during the 1940s and '50s. Lacking guidance systems, such rockets
had to be carefully aimed at relatively close range to successfully hit the target. The US Navy and
USAF began deploying guided missiles in the early 1950s, most famous being the US Navy's AIM-
9 Sidewinder and USAF's AIM-4 Falcon. These systems have continued to advance, and modern air
warfare consists almost entirely of missile firing. In the Falklands War less powerful British
Harriers were able to defeat faster Argentinian opponents using AIM-9G missiles provided by the
United States as the conflict began. The latest heat-seeking designs can lock onto a target from
various angles, not just from behind, where the heat signature from the engines is strongest. Other
types rely on radar guidance (either on-board or "painted" by the launching aircraft). Air to Air
missiles also have a wide range of sizes, ranging from helicopter launched self defense weapons
with a range of a few miles, to long range weapons designed for interceptor aircraft such as the
Phoenix missile.

Anti-satellite

The proposed Brilliant Pebbles defense system during the 1980s would use kinetic energy collisions
without explosives. Anti satellite weapons may be launched either by an aircraft or a surface
platform, depending on the design. To date, only a few known tests have occurred.
Missile Designation Module:

The U.S. Department of Defense established a missile and rocket designation sequence, which is
used in all weapons of the kind produced in the USA.

Explanation

The basic designation of every guided missile is based in a set of letters, which are in sequence. The
sequence indicates the following:

• The environment from which the weapon is launched

• The primary mission of the weapon
• The type of weapon

Examples of guided missile designators are as follows:

• AGM - (A) Air-launched (G) Surface-attack (M) Guided missile

• AIM - (A) Air-launched (I) Intercept-aerial (M) Guided missile
• ATM - (A) Air-launched (T) Training (M) Guided missile
• RIM - (R) Ship-launched (I) Intercept-aerial (M) Guided missile

The design or project number follows the basic designator. In turn, the number may be followed by
consecutive letters, representing modifications.

Example:
RGM-84D means:

• R - The weapon is ship-launched;

• G - The weapon is designed to surface-attack;
• M - The weapon is a guided missile;
• 84 - eighty-four missile design;
• D - fourth modification;

In addition, most guided missiles have names, such as Harpoon, Tomahawk, Seasparrow, etc. These
names are retained regardless of subsequent modifications to the missile.

The Code

First letter designating launch environment

Launch
Letter Detailed description
environment
 A Air Air launched

B Multiple Capable of being launched from more than one environment

Coffin or Stored horizontally or at less than a 45 degree angle in a protective

C
Container enclosure and launched from the ground

Individual or
F Carried and launched by one man
Infantry

L Land or Silo Launched from a fixed site or hardend silo

M Mobile Launched from a ground vehicle or moveable platform

P Soft Pad Partially or unprotected in storage and launched from the ground

U Underwater Launched from a submarine or other underwater device

R Surface ship Launched from a surface vessel such as a ship, barge, etc.

Second letter designating mission symbol

Letter Mission Detailed description

Vehicles designed or modified to confuse, deceive, or divert enemy defenses

D Decoy
by simulating an attack vehicle

Vehicles designed or modified with electronics equipment for

Special
E communications, countermeasures, electronic radiation sounding, or other
Electronic
electronic recording or relay missions

G Surface Vehicles designed to destroy enemy land or sea targets

 Attack

Intercept-
I Vehicles designed to intercept aerial targets in defensive roles
Aerial

Q Drone Vehicles designed for target reconnaissance or surveillance

T Training Vehicles designed or permanently modified for training purposes

Underwater Vehicles designed to destroy enemy submarines or other underwater targets,

U
attack or to detonate underwater

Vehicles designed to observe, record, or relay data pertaining to

W Weather
meteorological phenomena

Third letter designating vehicle type symbol

Letter Vehicle type Detailed description

Guided An unmanned, self-propelled vehicle with remote or internal trajectory

M
Missile guidance

R Rocket A self propelled vehicle whose flight trajectory cannot be altered after launch

A non-orbital instrumented vehicle used to monitor and transmit

N Probe
environmental information

Prefixes

An X preceding the first letter indicates an experimental weapon, a Y preceding the first letter
means the weapon is a prototype.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Missile_designation