Rockets Missiles Rockets have been used in warfare since ancient times when Chinese warriors shot small arrow rockets By the beginning of the 1800s modern armies were using iron-cased rockets The first ones were not very accurate and few hit their targets Some even looped back on their launchers However they did succeed in creating panic among the enemy By World War II WWII rockets had become more complex and were being fired from multiple launchers ships and aircraft They were also more stable in flight but they did not have any form of homing device to guide them accurately to their target 4
The first guided missiles to follow a curved path were also used during WWII These missiles had simple navigation and targeting devices Since the end of WWII missiles have become much more high tech They now have accurate targeting devices that allow them to hit their marks from a continent away They can be launched from pads or even submarines hidden under the sea A Virginia-class submarine test launches a cruise missile from beneath the waves Cruise missiles are guided missiles that can be launched from long distances 5
