* The concept of using a pilotless aircraft as a flying bomb, or "aerial torpedo", goes back to the First World War, but it wasn't until modern electronics technology was developed that the idea became truly practical. Now "cruise missiles" are an important weapon in the arsenals of modern military forces. This document provides a history of the cruise missile in Western service, as well of rocket-powered air-launched long-range "standoff weapons". A separate document discusses Eastern cruise missiles and standoff weapons.
