Digital terrain profile matching to what it can see on the ground
As it enters its final approach, Storm Shadow jettisons its nose cone to reveal a high-resolution infra-red camera.
The target recognition hardware then compares what is coming up on the ground with the stored image of the target.
In theory, the missile constantly adjusts its course and angle of attack so that it hits the target as accurately as possible, reducing collateral damage and unintended deaths.
The first stage of the warhead is an initial penetration charge which aims to break into the interior of a target, such as a bunker.
Only following penetration does the second larger charge, delayed by a fuse, detonate.
Storm Shadow, manufactured by Matra BAe Dynamics, has been a decade in the making.
Military planners class Storm Shadow as a "high survivability and effectiveness" weapon - meaning it minimises the risk to aircraft and crew while maximising the radius of attack.
The better the pre-programme data, the more chances it has to navigate around enemy defences and still find its target.
To all intents and purposes the French-made SCALP EG cruise missile is exactly the same weapon. Both are derived from the earlier French Apache anti-runway missile.
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~19~RS~)
One-Minute World News
News services
Email this to a friend
Printable version
Storm Shadow makes a significant difference to our options - early indications are that its use has been highly successful
