Precision-guided munition

A smart bomb or smart ammunition is a kind of weapon that is able to hit a target more precisely. It will therefore do more damage to the intended target, and ideally, there will be less collateral damage.^[1] Officially, these bombs are called Precision-guided munition, or PGM.

Such ammunition or bombs have the ability to influence their course, after they have been launched.

Usually, such weapons have sensors, for example for:

• Detecting their position, for example by using GPS.
• detecting light, infrared or radar signals
• Empennage (also called tail assembly) that allows them to change their course
• A battery, as a source of energy.

During the First Gulf War guided munitions were only 9% of weapons fired, but they accounted for 75% of all successful hits. Despite guided weapons generally being used on more difficult targets, they were still 35 times more likely to destroy their targets per weapon dropped.^[2]