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Article: U.S. Cruise Missiles Have Long Lineage; Improvements Solve Gulf War Problems
- Article from:
- The Washington Post
- Article date:
- September 4, 1996
- Author:
CopyrightThis material is published under license from the Washington Post. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post. (Hide copyright information)
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The cruise missiles the United States launched against Iraq
yesterday claim a lineage dating back to Germany's V-1 "buzz" bombs
that terrorized London in World War II. But the American models are
outfitted with high-tech gizmos that U.S. military officials claim
can guide them to within a few yards of targets.
Cruise missiles have become one of the prestige items in the
world arms market because of their accuracy and the fact they can be
launched from air, land and sea. Some 75 nations have them in their
inventories, but none of those weapons, perhaps, are as intimidating
as the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force cruise missiles.
Pentagon critics say the U.S. military often has overstated ...