Ask HN: How can a country defend itself from cruise missiles?

5 pointsteamgb2 comments

How do countries defend against things like cruise missiles? They seem to be quite a popular offensive weapon, but what kind of defensive mechanisms exist?

Can Patriot Missiles shoot down cruise missiles? What about some kind of electronic or GPS jamming to mess up the missile guidance system? Or are cities left to fire anti-aircraft weapons and hope they get lucky?

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> How do countries defend against things like cruise missiles?

Cruise missiles are designed to resist efforts to thwart them. If GPS is available and reliable, it's used, but if not, such a missile switches over to inertial guidance and terrain matching. A modern cruise missile is a formidable threat.

> Can Patriot Missiles shoot down cruise missiles?

Not with any reliability. Cruise missiles are too fast and too stealthy.

> Or are cities left to fire anti-aircraft weapons and hope they get lucky?

That's about it.

So you are from England. Are you afraid that your country might be attacked? This is not a forum to ask such questions.

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