Bombs, Smart

Smart bombs are one example of precision-guided munitions (PGMs). They have traditional explosive components, but attached guidance systems— electro-optical, infrared, radio, laser, Global Positioning System (GPS), video—and movable aerodynamic devices, allowing the weapon to “fly” to its target. Smart bombs have been an increasingly heavily utilized form of air-dropped munition since their introduction in World War II. In recent conflicts, smart bombs have comprised more than two thirds of all air-dropped munitions. This entry discusses the history of smart bombs and the current technology.