Rapier Air Defence Missile system, 1996-2015 Guided weapons were a major innovation in modern warfare. Each missile fired should find and follow a target until it hits it. The Rapier was introduced into British service in 1972. It is designed for close range air defence, and earlier variants were used against enemy aircraft during the Falklands War in 1982. More recently they have been deployed as part of security measures for the London 2012 Olympics. This is the final version of the Rapier Mis