by Enzo » Wed Sep 28, 2011 9:23 am
Silly boy, vacuum tubes survived WW2 bomber flights, as parts of radios, radars, intercoms. Pretty rugged actually. ICBM launches involve vibration/shaking, and G-forces, but not so much impact, well when they hit, there is impact, but by then the tube circuit won;t matter.
There were vacuum tubes in some submarine torpedo circuits, as well as some bombs and early guided missiles.
Transistor invented in 1947, but really took over in the 1960s.
But you are right, the existing missile systems are not likely too heavily tubed up.
On the other hand, the FAA still has some vacuum tube systems in the air traffic control and radar stuff.