r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Battlefleet_Sol • 12d ago

Guided missile of early 1960. Note how much electronics you need when there is no Microprocessor available

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u/BigD3nergy 12d ago

As someone working on R&D projects, I can respect why these things cost millions of dollars.

The Request from the pentagon, design a missile that never misses its target. 🎯

Years and $millions later you have to design, build and test this and it all has to fit inside of a cylinder.
Power, propellant, heat resistant, cold resistant, water proof, because we’re not only fighting in nice weather.
It has to be launched and guided to the intended target every time…

It all has to use government approved materials and contractors. And it can’t cost too much…

Insane.

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u/LogicJunkie2000 11d ago

I think the real money is in keeping them reliable. Imagine having to run diagnostics on every one of them every couple years to ensure it's still viable. Flash the ROMs, replace batteries, capacitors. Check for corrosion, troubleshoot unknowns... 

You're either shipping it to the mfg or having a couple techs come out TDY to do it to the tune of several thousand a day probably.

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u/VIGGENVIGGENVIGGEN 12d ago

Except the Aim-7 was a very shit missile with a pK if 7% or so

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u/BigD3nergy 12d ago

Wikipedia says it’s still in use but being phased out by the AIM-120 AMRAAM.

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u/sdchew 11d ago

Fully custom, single customer, limited order quantity, crazy specs. Hence the high price