Blue Water
Encyclopedia
Blue Water was the Rainbow Code name for a British
battlefield nuclear missile of the early 1960s. Despite its good performance and receiving wide praise, it is best known for having been cancelled for financial reasons.
in the late 1950s, in response to a 1958 Operational Requirement
for a "short-range corps support weapon".
In 1956 the Corporal
missile had been adopted by the Royal Artillery
as a battlefield tactical nuclear missile. This missile was liquid-fuelled, thus requiring a large convoy of support vehicles to prepare it slowly for lauch. It also required continual command guidance in flight, yet only achieved relatively poor accuracy. Also in use within the Royal Artillery was the Honest John
rocket. This was solid-fuelled and could be launched rapidly, but was unguided and had only short range. There was a clear requirement for a missile that would combine guidance and long range with rapid deployment and easy operation.
The 1958 requirement was for a solid-fuelled missile with autonomous guidance and requiring only simple support equipment for launch. It also took advantage of the shrinking dimensions and weight of nuclear warheads and so only required a much smaller payload. It was also a requirement that the system should be air-portable through the RAF's standard Argosy
transport aircraft.
As English Electric's Guided Weapons Division in Stevenage
had been the "foster-parent" for the UK deployment of the Corporal, they were a natural choice to manage the development of its replacement.
to be used against ground troops: a battlefield nuclear weapon.
Developed by English Electric
, it was first flown in 1960 and cancelled in 1962 having successfully completed several test flights/trials at both Aberporth
and then full-range trials at Woomera
.
This missile was 25 feet (7.6 m) in length and weighed-in at 3000 pounds (1,360.8 kg). The fuselage was cylindrical with a tapered nose, without the swelling required for previous large diameter nuclear warheads. The control surfaces were small and of typical English Electric form: four rear fins and four daggerboard shaped all-moving control surfaces at mid-length, indexed at 45° to the tail fins. Guidance was inertial and once aligned before launch, entirely autonomous in flight.
Originally called 'Red Rose', the missile was intended to provide a mobile short range nuclear capability for the British Army
. It had a range of around 55 miles. It was to be fitted with a 10 kiloton nuclear warhead under development at Atomic Weapons Establishment
(AWRE). Codenamed ‘Tony’, this was a UK version of the US W44
Tsetse primary
.
The modified Cuckoo solid rocket motor was designed by the Propellant and Explosives Research and Manufacturing Establishment (PERME) and made by Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd
. It gave a thrust of 1700 pound-forces (7,562 N).
strike aircraft in the stand-off
attack role. This proposed use has little to support it. Most obviously, Blue Water had already been cancelled for two years before TSR-2 ever flew. The projected missile is also so different to the actual missile that there would have been little in common between the two. In particular the guidance system assumed a largely ballistic trajectory from a known, static launch point, rather than from a supersonic attack aircraft. The propulsion motor, as developed, also incorporated a phase of increased boost thrust at launch that was inappropriate for an air-launched missile. The air-launched range would have been greater than the ground-launched range, probably comparable to the Boeing SRAM
, but still relatively short.
Whilst the RAF was already operating a very capable long-range stand-off missile, Blue Steel, from the Vulcan
fleet, it is unclear what value a short-range stand-off air-launched variant of Blue Water would have had.
was a modified Bedford RL
lorry. Additional launch equipment consisted of an early electronic computer, carried in a Land Rover
, together with an alignment theodolite
. Missiles were normally to be held under cover until a few minutes before launch, whereupon they would be moved to their launch position and the stabilising jacks beneath the lorry placed in position. These launch positions had been surveyed immediately beforehand, so as to be aligned directly at the target.
Prior to launch, the launch computer was connected to the missile by an umbilical cable. The same theodolite was used to align the on-board gyroscopes before launch and the flight plan settings for the missile were downloaded to it. The launch control vehicle could then move on to prepare another launcher within the battery
.
Only immediately before launch was the missile raised on its launcher and then fired. Each missile required a remarkably small crew of two, not counting the battery survey team, to operate it.
, but there were serious expectations that this would become standard equipment across NATO.
The US replacement for Corporal was the Sergeant
. Solid-fuelled and generally comparable to Blue Water, although it was more complex and slower to operate and, like Corporal, still required a train of semi-trailer vehicles. It was however promised for delivery in 1961. In 1960 West Germany agreed to buy Sergeant rather than to wait for Blue Water. As this represented the other major customer for Blue Water, and also the likelihood that other potential customers such as Turkey and Italy would then follow this American path, the sales prospects for Blue Water became bleak. The programme was cancelled on 10 August 1962, as the UK government, whilst still wishing to purchase the missile, was no longer willing to fund the entire development costs itself. The total costs were estimated at around £32.1 million. This, and other similar cancellations in this period, were a source of considerable criticism for years to come.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
battlefield nuclear missile of the early 1960s. Despite its good performance and receiving wide praise, it is best known for having been cancelled for financial reasons.
Origins
The missile was developed by English ElectricEnglish Electric
English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
in the late 1950s, in response to a 1958 Operational Requirement
Operational Requirement
An Operational Requirement or was a UK Air Ministry document setting out the required characteristics for a future military aircraft or weapon system....
for a "short-range corps support weapon".
In 1956 the Corporal
MGM-5 Corporal
The MGM-5 Corporal missile was the first guided weapon authorized by the United States to carry a nuclear warhead.The first nuclear-authorized unguided rocket was the MGR-1 Honest John...
missile had been adopted by the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
as a battlefield tactical nuclear missile. This missile was liquid-fuelled, thus requiring a large convoy of support vehicles to prepare it slowly for lauch. It also required continual command guidance in flight, yet only achieved relatively poor accuracy. Also in use within the Royal Artillery was the Honest John
MGR-1 Honest John
The MGR-1 Honest John rocket was the first nuclear-capable surface-to-surface rocket in the US arsenal.The first nuclear-authorized guided missile was the MGM-5 Corporal. Designated Artillery Rocket XM31, the first such rocket was tested 29 June 1951 and the first production rounds were delivered...
rocket. This was solid-fuelled and could be launched rapidly, but was unguided and had only short range. There was a clear requirement for a missile that would combine guidance and long range with rapid deployment and easy operation.
The 1958 requirement was for a solid-fuelled missile with autonomous guidance and requiring only simple support equipment for launch. It also took advantage of the shrinking dimensions and weight of nuclear warheads and so only required a much smaller payload. It was also a requirement that the system should be air-portable through the RAF's standard Argosy
Armstrong Whitworth AW.660 Argosy
The Armstrong Whitworth Argosy was a British post-war military transport/cargo aircraft and was the last aircraft produced by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft...
transport aircraft.
As English Electric's Guided Weapons Division in Stevenage
Stevenage
Stevenage is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England. It is situated to the east of junctions 7 and 8 of the A1, and is between Letchworth Garden City to the north, and Welwyn Garden City to the south....
had been the "foster-parent" for the UK deployment of the Corporal, they were a natural choice to manage the development of its replacement.
Development
Developed in the late 1950s, Blue Water was envisaged as a surface-to-surface missileSurface-to-surface missile
A surface-to-surface missile is a guided projectile launched from a hand-held, vehicle mounted, trailer mounted or fixed installation or from a ship. They are often powered by a rocket motor or sometimes fired by an explosive charge, since the launching platform is typically stationary or moving...
to be used against ground troops: a battlefield nuclear weapon.
Developed by English Electric
English Electric
English Electric was a British industrial manufacturer. Founded in 1918, it initially specialised in industrial electric motors and transformers...
, it was first flown in 1960 and cancelled in 1962 having successfully completed several test flights/trials at both Aberporth
Aberporth
Aberporth is a community and small town in Ceredigion on the west coast of Wales. The population was 2,485 in 2001.- Location :The town lies at the southern end of Cardigan Bay about six miles north of Cardigan and ten miles south of New Quay approximately one mile west of the A487, on the...
and then full-range trials at Woomera
Woomera Test Range
The RAAF Woomera Test Range is a weapons testing range operated by the Royal Australian Air Force Aerospace Operational Support Group...
.
This missile was 25 feet (7.6 m) in length and weighed-in at 3000 pounds (1,360.8 kg). The fuselage was cylindrical with a tapered nose, without the swelling required for previous large diameter nuclear warheads. The control surfaces were small and of typical English Electric form: four rear fins and four daggerboard shaped all-moving control surfaces at mid-length, indexed at 45° to the tail fins. Guidance was inertial and once aligned before launch, entirely autonomous in flight.
Originally called 'Red Rose', the missile was intended to provide a mobile short range nuclear capability for the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. It had a range of around 55 miles. It was to be fitted with a 10 kiloton nuclear warhead under development at Atomic Weapons Establishment
Atomic Weapons Establishment
The Atomic Weapons Establishment is responsible for the design, manufacture and support of warheads for the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent. AWE plc is responsible for the day-to-day operations of AWE...
(AWRE). Codenamed ‘Tony’, this was a UK version of the US W44
W44
The W44 was an American nuclear warhead used on the ASROC tactical anti-submarine missile system.The W44 had basic dimensions of 13.75 inches diameter and 25.3 inches length, a weight of 170 pounds, and a yield of 10 kilotons....
Tsetse primary
Tsetse primary
The Tsetse was the common design nuclear fission bomb core for several Cold War designs for American nuclear and thermonuclear weapons, according to researcher Chuck Hansen....
.
The modified Cuckoo solid rocket motor was designed by the Propellant and Explosives Research and Manufacturing Establishment (PERME) and made by Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd
Bristol Siddeley
Bristol Siddeley Engines Ltd was a British aero engine manufacturer. The company was formed in 1959 by a merger of Bristol Aero-Engines Limited and Armstrong Siddeley Motors Limited. In 1961 the company was expanded by the purchase of the de Havilland Engine Company and the engine division of...
. It gave a thrust of 1700 pound-forces (7,562 N).
Air-launched stand-off variant
Blue Water has also been described, barely credibly, to be used in RAF service on the TSR-2BAC TSR-2
The British Aircraft Corporation TSR-2 was a cancelled Cold War strike and reconnaissance aircraft developed by the British Aircraft Corporation for the Royal Air Force in the late 1950s and early 1960s...
strike aircraft in the stand-off
Stand-off missile
Standoff missiles are missiles "which may be launched at a distance sufficient to allow attacking personnel to evade defensive fire from the target area." Typically, they are used against land- and sea-based targets in an offensive operation...
attack role. This proposed use has little to support it. Most obviously, Blue Water had already been cancelled for two years before TSR-2 ever flew. The projected missile is also so different to the actual missile that there would have been little in common between the two. In particular the guidance system assumed a largely ballistic trajectory from a known, static launch point, rather than from a supersonic attack aircraft. The propulsion motor, as developed, also incorporated a phase of increased boost thrust at launch that was inappropriate for an air-launched missile. The air-launched range would have been greater than the ground-launched range, probably comparable to the Boeing SRAM
AGM-69 SRAM
The Boeing AGM-69 SRAM was a nuclear air-to-surface missile designed to replace the older AGM-28 Hound Dog stand-off missile....
, but still relatively short.
Whilst the RAF was already operating a very capable long-range stand-off missile, Blue Steel, from the Vulcan
Avro Vulcan
The Avro Vulcan, sometimes referred to as the Hawker Siddeley Vulcan, was a jet-powered delta wing strategic bomber, operated by the Royal Air Force from 1956 until 1984. Aircraft manufacturer A V Roe & Co designed the Vulcan in response to Specification B.35/46. Of the three V bombers produced,...
fleet, it is unclear what value a short-range stand-off air-launched variant of Blue Water would have had.
Operation
The transporter erector launcherTransporter erector launcher
A transporter erector launcher is a vehicle with an integrated prime mover that can carry, elevate to firing position and launch one or more missiles. Such vehicles exist for both surface-to-air missiles and surface-to-surface missiles...
was a modified Bedford RL
Bedford RL
The Bedford RL was the British Military's main medium lorry , built by Bedford Vehicles, from the mid 1950s until the late 1960s.- History :...
lorry. Additional launch equipment consisted of an early electronic computer, carried in a Land Rover
Land Rover
Land Rover is a British car manufacturer with its headquarters in Gaydon, Warwickshire, United Kingdom which specialises in four-wheel-drive vehicles. It is owned by the Indian company Tata Motors, forming part of their Jaguar Land Rover group...
, together with an alignment theodolite
Theodolite
A theodolite is a precision instrument for measuring angles in the horizontal and vertical planes. Theodolites are mainly used for surveying applications, and have been adapted for specialized purposes in fields like metrology and rocket launch technology...
. Missiles were normally to be held under cover until a few minutes before launch, whereupon they would be moved to their launch position and the stabilising jacks beneath the lorry placed in position. These launch positions had been surveyed immediately beforehand, so as to be aligned directly at the target.
Prior to launch, the launch computer was connected to the missile by an umbilical cable. The same theodolite was used to align the on-board gyroscopes before launch and the flight plan settings for the missile were downloaded to it. The launch control vehicle could then move on to prepare another launcher within the battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
.
Only immediately before launch was the missile raised on its launcher and then fired. Each missile required a remarkably small crew of two, not counting the battery survey team, to operate it.
Commercial failure and cancellation
Initial hopes for Blue Water had been optimistic, seeing it as a NATO-wide replacement for the clearly obsolete Corporal. The anticipated customer was the West German BundeswehrBundeswehr
The Bundeswehr consists of the unified armed forces of Germany and their civil administration and procurement authorities...
, but there were serious expectations that this would become standard equipment across NATO.
The US replacement for Corporal was the Sergeant
MGM-29 Sergeant
The MGM-29 Sergeant was an American short-range, solid fuel, surface-to-surface missile developed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Activated by the US Army in 1962 to replace the MGM-5 Corporal it was deployed overseas by 1963, carrying the W52 nuclear warhead or alternatively one of high explosives...
. Solid-fuelled and generally comparable to Blue Water, although it was more complex and slower to operate and, like Corporal, still required a train of semi-trailer vehicles. It was however promised for delivery in 1961. In 1960 West Germany agreed to buy Sergeant rather than to wait for Blue Water. As this represented the other major customer for Blue Water, and also the likelihood that other potential customers such as Turkey and Italy would then follow this American path, the sales prospects for Blue Water became bleak. The programme was cancelled on 10 August 1962, as the UK government, whilst still wishing to purchase the missile, was no longer willing to fund the entire development costs itself. The total costs were estimated at around £32.1 million. This, and other similar cancellations in this period, were a source of considerable criticism for years to come.