surface-to-surface

[ sur-fis-tuh-sur-fis ]

adjective

1. (of a missile, message, etc.) capable of traveling from a base on the surface of the earth to a target also on the surface.

adverb

1. from a base on the surface of the earth to a target on the surface.

surface-to-surface

adjective

1. of or relating to a missile launched from the surface of the earth against surface targets

Word History and Origins

Origin of surface-to-surface¹

First recorded in 1945–50

Example Sentences

Most of its arsenal is made up of small, unguided, surface-to-surface artillery rockets.

From BBC

They were built in the 1990s by Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, Mississippi, but Israel has recently taken delivery of four larger and more heavily-armed German-built Sa’ar 6 corvettes, with 76mm main guns and new surface-to-surface missiles.

From Salon

In Saturday’s attack, 185 drones, 36 cruise missiles and 110 surface-to-surface missiles were fired toward Israel, according to Israeli military officials.

From New York Times

Daniel Hagari, said that 99% of more than 300 launches, including drones, surface-to-surface missiles and cruise missiles, were intercepted outside Israeli territory.

From Seattle Times

The Reuters news agency reported last month that Iran had already provided Russia with around 400 surface-to-surface missiles, including many from the Fateh-110 family of short-range weapons capable of striking targets as far as 435 miles away.

From New York Times