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3 books on Missiles [PDF]
August 28, 2025 | 29 |
These books are covering the science of propulsion, strategic defense tactics, missile guidance systems, aerodynamics, warhead technology, ethical implications of warfare and historical missile development.
1. Cruise Missile: Advanced Guidance Systems in Modern Warfare
2025 by Fouad Sabry
This AI book provides basic knowledge about cruise missiles, first of all: How does a cruise missile differ from a ballistic missile? Obviously, by the presence of wings. Wings create lift and allow the missile to fly according to the "aircraft" principle - long and stably at a low altitude, maneuver in the air, bypassing the terrain and air defense zones, maintaining accuracy and controllability over the entire distance. Unlike a ballistic missile, the engine works all the time during the flight. Usually, this is a turbojet or turbofan engine, similar to an aircraft. A ballistic missile does not have wings and flies mainly along a ballistic trajectory (like an artillery shell). A ballistic missile also has an engine, but it only works during the acceleration phase (usually this is a powerful rocket engine on solid or liquid fuel). After reaching the desired speed and altitude, the engine is turned off and the missile flies further by inertia along a ballistic trajectory. It can be controlled only in the active phase (when the engine is running). However, cruise missiles are more expensive and not only because of the engine and wings. Built-in electronics: navigation (GPS/GLONASS), inertial systems, sometimes optical or radar homing heads - are also expensive. The most famous cruise missiles now are Tomahawk, Storm Shadow, JASSM. And, for example, ATACMS is a ballistic missile.
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2. Optimal Guidance and Its Applications in Missiles and UAVs
2020 by Shaoming He, Chang-Hun Lee, Hyo-Sang Shin, Antonios Tsourdos
This book studies the problem of optimizing missile guidance. Guidance is the process of controlling the motion of a projectile toward a specified stationary or moving target, often by generating acceleration or attitude commands to an autopilot or motion control system based on projectile state and target information. The classical law of proportional navigation (PNG) has been widely used in defence tech since the 1960s and remains the benchmark for modern guidance laws. The basic idea of PNG is to generate a lateral acceleration that changes the projectile's direction so that it enters a constant collision trajectory with the target. The main advantage of PNG, which has ensured its longevity, is its efficiency and ease of implementation. However, as the complexity of application scenarios in autonomous missile systems increases, real-world guidance problems arise due to the many practical constraints associated with achieving different mission objectives. This indicates that PNG may not be sufficiently effective. For example, air-to-ship or air-to-air missiles must intercept a target at a specific angle of impact to hit a vulnerable point. When passing a checkpoint, a missile may need to change its trajectory to meet radar detection or terrain following conditions. Significant advances and efforts have been made in recent decades to improve the effectiveness of missiles and these are described in this book.
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3. Artillery and Missiles
2012 by Martin J. Dougherty
This is an illustrated book that shows the main types of artillery and explains their purpose. The function of artillery is to attack distant targets using large quantities of explosives. The range of applications is quite wide: from strategic nuclear strikes on targets on another continent to relatively close shelling of enemy forces. Guided missiles can move along a ballistic trajectory or fly like a small aircraft (in this case they are called "cruise missiles"). The addition of GPS navigation systems to many previously unguided missile weapons blurs the line between guided missiles and combat rocket systems. Artillery weapons can be divided into two main types - rocket systems and "barrel" artillery, i.e. weapons that launch an unguided projectile from a barrel. Traditionally, tube artillery includes mortars (very short-barreled weapons that fire at a very steep trajectory), howitzers (short-barreled, low-velocity weapons that fire at a steep arc) and cannons (long-barreled, high-velocity weapons that fire at a flatter trajectory). However, these distinctions have become less clear due to the emergence of weapons that do not fit neatly into any one category.
Download PDF
How to download PDF:
1. Install Gooreader
2. Enter Book ID to the search box and press Enter
3. Click "Download Book" icon and select PDF*
* - note that for yellow books only preview pages are downloaded
1. Cruise Missile: Advanced Guidance Systems in Modern Warfare
2025 by Fouad Sabry
This AI book provides basic knowledge about cruise missiles, first of all: How does a cruise missile differ from a ballistic missile? Obviously, by the presence of wings. Wings create lift and allow the missile to fly according to the "aircraft" principle - long and stably at a low altitude, maneuver in the air, bypassing the terrain and air defense zones, maintaining accuracy and controllability over the entire distance. Unlike a ballistic missile, the engine works all the time during the flight. Usually, this is a turbojet or turbofan engine, similar to an aircraft. A ballistic missile does not have wings and flies mainly along a ballistic trajectory (like an artillery shell). A ballistic missile also has an engine, but it only works during the acceleration phase (usually this is a powerful rocket engine on solid or liquid fuel). After reaching the desired speed and altitude, the engine is turned off and the missile flies further by inertia along a ballistic trajectory. It can be controlled only in the active phase (when the engine is running). However, cruise missiles are more expensive and not only because of the engine and wings. Built-in electronics: navigation (GPS/GLONASS), inertial systems, sometimes optical or radar homing heads - are also expensive. The most famous cruise missiles now are Tomahawk, Storm Shadow, JASSM. And, for example, ATACMS is a ballistic missile.
Download PDF
2. Optimal Guidance and Its Applications in Missiles and UAVs
2020 by Shaoming He, Chang-Hun Lee, Hyo-Sang Shin, Antonios Tsourdos
This book studies the problem of optimizing missile guidance. Guidance is the process of controlling the motion of a projectile toward a specified stationary or moving target, often by generating acceleration or attitude commands to an autopilot or motion control system based on projectile state and target information. The classical law of proportional navigation (PNG) has been widely used in defence tech since the 1960s and remains the benchmark for modern guidance laws. The basic idea of PNG is to generate a lateral acceleration that changes the projectile's direction so that it enters a constant collision trajectory with the target. The main advantage of PNG, which has ensured its longevity, is its efficiency and ease of implementation. However, as the complexity of application scenarios in autonomous missile systems increases, real-world guidance problems arise due to the many practical constraints associated with achieving different mission objectives. This indicates that PNG may not be sufficiently effective. For example, air-to-ship or air-to-air missiles must intercept a target at a specific angle of impact to hit a vulnerable point. When passing a checkpoint, a missile may need to change its trajectory to meet radar detection or terrain following conditions. Significant advances and efforts have been made in recent decades to improve the effectiveness of missiles and these are described in this book.
Download PDF
3. Artillery and Missiles
2012 by Martin J. Dougherty
This is an illustrated book that shows the main types of artillery and explains their purpose. The function of artillery is to attack distant targets using large quantities of explosives. The range of applications is quite wide: from strategic nuclear strikes on targets on another continent to relatively close shelling of enemy forces. Guided missiles can move along a ballistic trajectory or fly like a small aircraft (in this case they are called "cruise missiles"). The addition of GPS navigation systems to many previously unguided missile weapons blurs the line between guided missiles and combat rocket systems. Artillery weapons can be divided into two main types - rocket systems and "barrel" artillery, i.e. weapons that launch an unguided projectile from a barrel. Traditionally, tube artillery includes mortars (very short-barreled weapons that fire at a very steep trajectory), howitzers (short-barreled, low-velocity weapons that fire at a steep arc) and cannons (long-barreled, high-velocity weapons that fire at a flatter trajectory). However, these distinctions have become less clear due to the emergence of weapons that do not fit neatly into any one category.
Download PDF
How to download PDF:
1. Install Gooreader
2. Enter Book ID to the search box and press Enter
3. Click "Download Book" icon and select PDF*
* - note that for yellow books only preview pages are downloaded
