What is Taurus Missile?

About Taurus Missile:

• It is a German-origin precision-guided, long-range air-to-surface cruise missile.
• This missile was developed in the mid-1990s as a joint effort between the German company LFK (now MBDA Deutschland) and the Swedish company Saab Bofors Dynamics. 
• It is capable of precision strikes on stationary and semi-stationary targets.
• Features:
  • Weighing in at 1,400 kg and measuring approximately 5.1 meters in length, this versatile missile can be deployed from a variety of platforms.
  • Powered by turbofan engine, the missile achieves subsonic speeds with impressive fuel efficiency.
  • It features a dual-stage warhead known as MEPHISTO, which is specifically designed to penetrate hardened bunkers and underground facilities before detonation. 
  • It flies at an altitude of only 35 meters, which makes it almost impossible for radar systems to detect.
  • Range: 500 km
  • The missile’s guidance system merges GPS, INS (Inertial Navigation System), and TERCOM (Terrain Contour Matching) technologies, guaranteeing unerring precision even in GPS-denied environments.
  • Its low radar cross-section and advanced defense mechanisms protect it against interception and neutralization attempts.

Q1: What is a cruise missile?

Cruise missiles are unmanned vehicles that are propelled by jet engines, much like an airplane. They can be launched from ground, air, or sea platforms. Cruise missiles remain within the atmosphere for the duration of their flight and can fly as low as a few meters off the ground. Flying low to the surface of the earth expends more fuel but makes a cruise missile very difficult to detect. 

Source: ‘Much Desired’ By Ukraine, South Korea Fires Taurus Missile In Live-Fire Drills Amid Boiling Tensions With NK