when lazer guided missiles fly through the air is the lazer hot so the missiles heat array can follow the lazer

Question: when lazer guided missiles fly through the air is the lazer hot so the missiles heat array can follow the lazer
- Keywords:
  fly,
  laser,
  missile
Asked by lucapops to Ian, Frank on 18 Mar 2015.
- Ian Sandal answered on 18 Mar 2015:
  
  The laser acts as a guide to help get the missile to the target, it doesn’t help the missile fly as such. A laser is shone from the missile to see what is infront of it, a bit like a tourch. A computer then processes the information from the laser to plot the course.