---
title: "Haunting Photos Show Missiles Milliseconds Before Exploding"
description: "A particularly haunting gallery of images shows missiles hanging in the air a split second before they connect with their targets and explode."
date: "2021-03-23"
modified: "2021-03-23"
authors:
  - name: "Dan Robitzski"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/danrobitzski"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/haunting-photos-milliseconds-before-exploding"
categories:
  - "Military"
  - "Science & Energy"
tags:
  - "military technology"
  - "missiles"
  - "the digest"
---

# Haunting Photos Show Missiles Milliseconds Before Exploding

![haunting-photos-milliseconds-before-exploding](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/haunting-photos-milliseconds-before-exploding.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: Futurism\</em\>*

## Fatal Frame

If you're interested in seeing some images taken just moments before (intentional, well-planned) disaster, boy do we have a highlight reel for you.

Live weapon tests are an important part of making sure that new bombs, missiles, [and drones](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/china-selling-deadly-pterodactyl-drones-world>) actually do what the military wants them to do upon impact, lest the armed forces accidentally fire a dud during actual combat.

Now, *[The Drive ](<https://www.twz.com/39870/nothing-but-images-of-precision-guided-weapons-taken-just-before-they-obliterate-their-targets>)*[put together](<https://www.twz.com/39870/nothing-but-images-of-precision-guided-weapons-taken-just-before-they-obliterate-their-targets>) a collection of images, all taken from the public domain, that were captured in the final milliseconds before these explosives connected with their targets. We recommend checking out the whole thing, but we also gathered a few of our favorites.

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/missile-1-1200x647.jpg>)
**Dynetics GBU-69/B Small Glide Munition.**

## Video Buffering

The photos show the last split second before the weapons' destructive power is unleashed. But captured in a still image, they seem hauntingly frozen in place, looming over the poor unfortunate tanks, trucks, and other targets serving as crash test dummies.

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/missile-2-1200x672.png>)
**APKWS.**

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/missile-3.jpg>)
**RGM-109 Tomahawk.**

Again, check out [the full list](<https://www.twz.com/39870/nothing-but-images-of-precision-guided-weapons-taken-just-before-they-obliterate-their-targets>) on *The Drive* — the stillness that these pictures capture is almost surreal and it's certainly worth taking a moment to witness them.

**READ MORE:** [Nothing But Images Of Precision Guided Weapons Taken Just Before They Obliterate Their Targets](<https://www.twz.com/39870/nothing-but-images-of-precision-guided-weapons-taken-just-before-they-obliterate-their-targets>) \[*The Drive*\]

**More on military technology:** *[China Is Selling Deadly "Pterodactyl" Drones Around the World](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/china-selling-deadly-pterodactyl-drones-world>)*

## Author
Dan Robitzki is a senior reporter for Futurism, where he likes to cover AI, tech ethics, and medicine. He spends his extra time fencing and streaming games from Los Angeles, California.

### Author social links  
[Twitter](<https://x.com/danrobitzski>)