When were aircraft missiles invented?

Aircraft missiles were first developed during World War II, with significant advancements made in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The German V-1 flying bomb, introduced in 1944, is often considered one of the earliest forms of guided missile technology. Following the war, the United States and the Soviet Union developed more sophisticated missile systems, leading to the creation of air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles that became integral to military aviation.