ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Proximity fuze

Imagine you have a remote control car and you want it to stop when it gets close to an obstacle. This is basically what a proximity fuze does, but with much bigger things like bombs and missiles.

A proximity fuze is a small electronic device that is attached to a bomb or missile. It can detect when it is getting close to an object or target by sending out radio waves that bounce off of the object and return back to the fuze.

When the fuze detects that it is getting close to the target, it will explode the bomb or missile without it actually touching the target. This can be very useful in avoiding friendly fire or causing more damage to the target.

Proximity fuzes were first used in World War II and have since become an important part of modern military technology. They are constantly being improved and updated so that they can be more accurate and effective.