circular error probable

An indicator of the delivery accuracy of a weapon system, used as a factor in determining probable damage to a target. It is the radius of a circle within which half of a missile's projectiles are expected to fall. Also called CEP. See also delivery error; deviation; dispersion error; horizontal error.

Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

The reality of the air war over Germany--overcast skies, smoke from factories, German antiaircraft defenses, and a myriad of other factors--produced an average circular error probable of about half a mile (that is, half of the bombs dropped fell inside a circle a half of a mile in diameter, and the other half fell outside) with many bombs hitting the ground up to five miles from the designated target.

Near Miss: The Army Air Forces' Guided Bomb Program in World War II

With a circular error probable (CEP) of two miles, it was intended for strategic targets such as cities rather than those requiring pin-point accuracy.

Launch Pad UK: Britain and the Cuban Missile Crisis

The military tends to define missile accuracy and reliability with a two-dimensional statistical metric called Circular Error Probable or CEP.

Hellfire Missile Accuracy Problems Uncovered in Pentagon Data

TLE and WDE can be stated as circular error probable (CEP), as the story explains, which is a 50th percentile measurement.

How to measure weapon accuracy

Its circular error probable (Cep) of less than 20 metres is achieved by means of an Interstate Electronics GPS receiver with high anti-jam performance, permitting the use of a low-cost IMU (inertial measurement unit).

Far reaching propositions: sea-based, barrel-launched guided projectiles and conventionally armed cruise missiles are already demonstrating considerable effectiveness. The same is true of land-based weapons. Several countries are now working to exploit the full potential of such weapon systems for the precision engagement of critical targets at the beachhead, on the extended battle-field and far beyond. (Complete Guide)