Andy in China

DID YOU KNOW… the viral claim that a Tomahawk missile contains 500 ounces of silver is almost certainly NOT TRUE? While the exact amount is classified, metals researchers say informed estimates suggest it’s closer to about 10–15 TROY OUNCES of silver per missile, still a surprising amount for a weapon that explodes and is never recovered. 🚀 Where the silver actually goes: Silver isn’t used in missiles for decoration or structural parts. Instead, it shows up in very specific high-performance components. One of the main places is inside specialized reserve batteries, often silver-zinc or silver-oxide batteries, which power critical systems like guidance controls, telemetry, actuators, and flight termination electronics. These batteries can sit inactive for years and then instantly activate when the missile launches. ⚡ Why silver is used at all: Missiles require extremely reliable electrical systems that must work perfectly after long storage periods. Silver is one of the best electrical conductors on Earth, and it also performs exceptionally well in high-energy battery chemistries. That combination makes it ideal for short bursts of intense power needed to control fins, operate sensors, and guide the missile to its target. 🛰️ It’s not just batteries: Small amounts of silver also appear in high-reliability solder and electrical contacts inside the missile’s electronics. These systems must withstand extreme vibration, acceleration, and temperature changes during launch and flight, so engineers use silver-bearing materials that provide better conductivity and corrosion resistance than ordinary electronics components. 💥 Once launched, it’s gone forever: A Tomahawk cruise missile costs roughly $1–2 million and is designed for a single mission. When it detonates or is destroyed, the silver contained inside its batteries and electronics is scattered across debris or vaporized in the explosion. In practice, that means the metal becomes permanently unrecoverable, effectively turning a pound or so of silver into microscopic fragments. 🌍 Multiply that by modern warfare: Cruise missiles, interceptor missiles, and other guided munitions are launched by the hundreds or even thousands in major conflicts. Larger cruise missiles may contain around a dozen ounces of silver, while many smaller missiles likely contain less than a single ounce. Individually that doesn’t sound like much, but across global arsenals and decades of use, it adds up to significant amounts of silver permanently consumed by warfare. In other words, silver isn’t just sitting in vaults or jewelry boxes. Some of it is literally launched into the sky… powering the guidance systems of the most advanced weapons ever built.

Yep