They were not GPS, they actually digitized satellite photography and planned the missions using landmarks. The missile was controlled by DSMAC Digital Scene Matching Algorhtym Computer on board as it had a camera in the belly comparing what it saw to the map stored in memory and making turns as planned.

Predated GPS, sort of like a primitive version of today's navigation systems.

The outdated guidance system is why the Tomahawk ceased production and my fun job ended.

 

Man this thread is way better reading than the title would indicate.... Interesting stuff Danny Lee!!
________
Chappell of Bond Street

 

Way to hijack guys!

Back on topic. I spent the first year of driving my Rover to and from work. It helps I am a Audi technician and have all the tools I need to work on mine. In that year I have replaced the following:

Left rear axle seal
Rear brake pad pins (they were missing)
Starter
Water pump
Viscous fan clutch
Spark plugs
Plug wires
Air filter
Distributor cap and rotor
Flushed: front, rear and center diff oils
Added a copper washer where the trans cooler line attaches to the radiator, it was missing.
Coolant resevoir tank
Exchanged the green coolant for Pink (better at coagulating when there are tiny leaks)
wiper blades front and rear
Transmission flush with filter
Couple of oil changes
Right rear window regulator
Both rear subs exchanged for Alpines.

All of this work has made mine pretty reliable. I still however need to
fix alot of small leaks with the trans cooler lines, power steering lines
and valley pan gasket. Possibly the head gaskets.

Point I am trying to make is they are only reliable if you put in the time.
Alot of these repairs are normal for a vehicle with over 170k on it so I am
totally happy to perform the repairs knowing I now know how much longer
each part will last. I have also put on some mean mud terrain tires and plan
on putting on rock sliders, a 2" lift, new headlights and turn signals and front
bumper mod. Just like any vehicle with time and mileage on the clock you
have to love it and it will love you back.

 

I can say Ive owned mine for about 2 years and all i did was replace a fuel pump
so im not gonna complain. My gmc dually I bought new in 99 now that was the most unreliable vehicle i ever owned, you think these things are bad for head gaskets that truck was horible 6 pairs of head gaskets in 36000 miles before they replace the whole engine........sorry to get off trck but these trucks are great if you take care of them.

 

Never been stranded in 5 years. I have replaced things as they should be. It died in the driveway once when the fuel pump went out at 194K. I knew it was coming...

Point is, if you replace things before they go out, at the interval they usually fail, you will be good. Barring the normal anomoly, you will be fine. They are reliable. The problem is when people neglect them and just "patch" things. You are driving an old truck, most of these should be paid for. Take 1/2 a car payment every few months and buy things to keep them up. Fluids, belts, hoses... Fix stuff before it breaks...

 

Awww come on! There are like a thousand threads about routine maintenance and making your disco more reliable (start here). But how often does this come up?

________
grape ape marijuana strain

 

He does have a point there. You cannot expect any vehicle to run every time you get in it, no matter what it is.


Everything has a failure rate if you track it. To improve reliability (the probability of meeting the design expectation when operating WITHIN defined operating parameters) you must identify and correct any design flaws that contribute to higher than acceptable failure rates (like the DII driveshaft for example).

Reliability is measured in MTBF which is mean time between failures.

Of course taking care of any vehicle properly and not abusing it will improve your ability to use it which you may consider it reliable if it performs for you when you expect it to, which is what you want to achieve.Another more meaningful measurement is life cycle cost which includes all repair cost, maintenance cost and other costs involved with keeping it going.

When the cost exceeds what you are willing to spend, it has effectively reached the end of it's useful life cycle.

 

Oh, and I still have a Video that was broadcast over flight deck TV from an A6 that dropped a smart bomb in Baghdad. Watched it get flown right through a window, then static. pretty freaky how they can drop one in your bathroom...

 

Ain't war great. Our economy always thrives during a good war. We just forgot the part about the victor taking the spoils. I say Pillage and Plunder instead of rebuilding for them. Let them remember what suffering is when they mess with you.

 

You know with that kind of technology we could borrow one of those smart bombs and hit his disco. Then he can take the insurance money and start building from scratch and make sure it is reliable then. LOL. But really that would be sweet. Ok I am kidding.......kind of.