What does the thermal battery provide for the FGM 148 missile during flight?

• A. External power from the launch platform.
• B. No power; it uses stored mechanical energy.
• C. All the internal electrical power for the missile during flight.
• D. Only the guidance system power.

Answer: (C)

The thermal battery provides all the internal electrical power for the missile during flight. It is a self-contained power source that kicks in at launch and supplies the necessary electricity to the seeker, guidance electronics, flight control actuators, fuze, and other onboard systems for the entire flight. Because the missile operates independently once launched, there’s no need for external power from the launch platform, and relying on any single subsystem (like only the guidance) wouldn’t keep the whole missile’s electronics running. The propulsion energy comes from the solid rocket motor, but that energy isn’t used to power the onboard electronics—the thermal battery handles that power requirement for flight.