Can electric actuators meet missile requirements?

ONE OF THE vital components of a missile is the device used to position the thrust directors or control surfaces. In addition to satisfying rather stringent dynamic performance requirements, this device must be highly reliable. Missile designers favor hydraulically operated actuators because of their high dynamic performance capabilities, relatively low weight, and small size.1 However, the hydraulic actuators have still not reached the desired reliability because of sensitivity to dirt particles and other factors.