Chance-Vought SSM-N-9a Regulus II
Encyclopedia
The SSM-N-9 Regulus II cruise missile
was designed as a supersonic cruise missile armed with a nuclear warhead, for launch from surface ships and submarines of the United States Navy
(USN).
Development of the Regulus II was well under way when the programme was cancelled in favour of the UGM-27 Polaris
SLBM (Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile) system, which gave unprecedented accuaracy as well as allowing the launch submarine to stay submerged and covert. Prototype and initial production missiles were later converted to Vought KD2U-1 supersonic target drones for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force, which used the KD2U-1 during tests of the Boeing IM-99/CIM-10 Bomarc SAM (Surface to Air Missile).
Interestingly the SSM-N-9a Regulus II was re-designated as the RGM-15A in June 1963, nearly five years after the missile programme had been terminated. At the same time the KD2U-1 target drones were re-designated as the Vought MQM-15A. Some landing-gear equipped targets were re-designated as Vought GQM-15As.
Prototype missiles were built, designated XRSSM-N-9 Regulus II, with retractable landing gear, to allow multiple launches and Wright J65
-W-6 engines and Aerojet General
booster, which restricted them to sub-sonic flight, first flight of the XRSSM-N-9 took place in May 1956. from 1958 testing was carried out with the XRSSM-N-9a, equipped with the definitive General Electric J79-GE-3 and Rocketdyne
booster allowing the full flight envelope to be explored. Evaluation and training missiles with retractable undercarriage were produced as the YTSSM-N-9a and TSSM-N-9a respectively.
After land-based testing, trials including missile firings were carried out on board , which had been modified with a replica submarine missile hangar and launch system, after which it was re-designated as
The SSM-N-9 Regulus II missile was intended to be launched from the deck of SSG (Guided Missile Submarine), and would most likely have been operationally deployed on and , as well as four cruisers and 23 other submarines. Carrying up to five Regulus II missiles in a hangar integral with the hull, Regulus II equipped boats and ships would have been fitted out with the Ships Inertial Navigation System (SINS), allowing the missiles to be aligned accurately before take-off.
Forty-eight test-flights of Regulus II prototypes were carried out, 30 of which were successful, 14 partially successful and only four failures. A production contract was signed in January 1958 and the only submarine launch was carried out from USS Grayback in September 1958.
Due to the high cost of the missiles (approx one million dollars each), budgetary pressure, and the emergence of the SLBM, the Regulus missile program was terminated on 19 November 1958. Support for the programme was finally withdrawn on 18 December 1958, when the incumbent Secretary of the Navy Gates cancelled the project. At the time of cancellation Vought had completed twenty missiles with 27 more on the production line.
Primary control of the Regulus II was through the use of elevons fitted to thje outer half of the wing trailing-edges, as the missile was not fitted with a tailplane, and a rudder fitted to the trailing edge of the fin. Flaps were fitted to the inner half of the trailing edge for use during take-off. Additional stability and contol in pitch was provided by small trapezoidal canard foreplanes near the nose of the fuselage.
To launch the missile, the carrier vessel had to surface and deploy the missile and launch apparatus, which consisted of a zero length launcher. Once deployed, the missile had to be linked to the submarine or ships navigation system to align the inertial navigation system and input target co-ordinates. With the navigation system ready and launch authorisation given, the missile engine would be run-up to full power with afterburner and the large solid-fuelled rocket booster ignited, immediately the missile would leave the zero length launcher and continue to the target autonomously.
and controlled by the Montgomery Air Defense Sector, at Gunter Air Force Base
, in Alabama
. The KD2U-1 targets were launched from the Eglin Gulf Test Range base near Venice, Florida
. Drone flights at Eglin commenced on 3 September 1959 making 46 flights with 13 missiles. After the Bomarc tests the remaining missiles were moved to Roosevelt Roads Naval Station
, in Puerto Rico
by 30 September 1961, where flights commenced testing Tartar
, Terrier and Talos missiles. On completion of the Puerto Rico testing in 1963 the Regulus IIs were moved to Point Mugu, California
where they remained in use until December 1965.
Point Mugu Missile Park, Naval Air Station Point Mugu
, California
Veterans Memorial Museum, Huntsville, Alabama
SSM-N-9a Regulus II:The designation of production missiles, pre 1964.
XRSSM-N-9 Regulus II:Prototype missiles fitted with retractable landing gear for land based development flights, powered by Wright J65
turbojet engines and Aerojet General
booster rockets.
XRSSM-N-9a:Prototype missiles fitted with retractable landing gear for land based development flights, powered by General Electric J79 turbojet engines and Rocketdyne
booster rockets.
YTSSM-N-9a:Development Training missiles with retractable landing gear.
TSSM-N-9a:Production training missiles with retractable landing gear.
RQM-15A:Regulus II missiles re-designated in April 1963.
MQM-15A:KD2U-1 Target drones used for research and as targets for the IM-99 Bomarc SAM
.
GQM-15A:Gear equipped KD2U-1 target drones re-designated.
Cruise missile
A cruise missile is a guided missile that carries an explosive payload and is propelled, usually by a jet engine, towards a land-based or sea-based target. Cruise missiles are designed to deliver a large warhead over long distances with high accuracy...
was designed as a supersonic cruise missile armed with a nuclear warhead, for launch from surface ships and submarines of the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
(USN).
History
The limitations of the Regulus I were well known by the time it entered service in 1955, so the USN issued a specification for a surface-launched supersonic ship-borne cruise missile, armed with a nuclear warhead, possessing greater range, accuracy and resistance to counter-measures.Development of the Regulus II was well under way when the programme was cancelled in favour of the UGM-27 Polaris
UGM-27 Polaris
The Polaris missile was a two-stage solid-fuel nuclear-armed submarine-launched ballistic missile built during the Cold War by Lockheed Corporation of California for the United States Navy....
SLBM (Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile) system, which gave unprecedented accuaracy as well as allowing the launch submarine to stay submerged and covert. Prototype and initial production missiles were later converted to Vought KD2U-1 supersonic target drones for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force, which used the KD2U-1 during tests of the Boeing IM-99/CIM-10 Bomarc SAM (Surface to Air Missile).
Interestingly the SSM-N-9a Regulus II was re-designated as the RGM-15A in June 1963, nearly five years after the missile programme had been terminated. At the same time the KD2U-1 target drones were re-designated as the Vought MQM-15A. Some landing-gear equipped targets were re-designated as Vought GQM-15As.
Design and development
The major drawback of the original Regulus was the use of radio-command guidance, which required a constant radio link with the launch ship / boat that was relatively easy to interfere with. The earlier missile also suffered from restricted range which required the launch ship to launch the missile close to the target and remain exposed until the missile hit the target. To alleviate these drawbacks the Regulus II was designed with an inertial navigation system, which required no further input from the launch ship / boat after launch, and a greater range through improved aerodynamics, larger fuel capacity and a lower specific fuel consumption from the powerplant.Prototype missiles were built, designated XRSSM-N-9 Regulus II, with retractable landing gear, to allow multiple launches and Wright J65
Wright J65
|-See also:-External links:*...
-W-6 engines and Aerojet General
Aerojet
Aerojet is an American rocket and missile propulsion manufacturer based primarily in Rancho Cordova, California with divisions in Redmond, Washington, Orange, Gainesville and Camden, Arkansas. Aerojet is owned by GenCorp. They are the only US propulsion company that provides both solid rocket...
booster, which restricted them to sub-sonic flight, first flight of the XRSSM-N-9 took place in May 1956. from 1958 testing was carried out with the XRSSM-N-9a, equipped with the definitive General Electric J79-GE-3 and Rocketdyne
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a United States company that designs and produces rocket engines that use liquid propellants. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, headquartered in Canoga Park, California, is a division of Pratt & Whitney, itself a wholly owned subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation...
booster allowing the full flight envelope to be explored. Evaluation and training missiles with retractable undercarriage were produced as the YTSSM-N-9a and TSSM-N-9a respectively.
After land-based testing, trials including missile firings were carried out on board , which had been modified with a replica submarine missile hangar and launch system, after which it was re-designated as
The SSM-N-9 Regulus II missile was intended to be launched from the deck of SSG (Guided Missile Submarine), and would most likely have been operationally deployed on and , as well as four cruisers and 23 other submarines. Carrying up to five Regulus II missiles in a hangar integral with the hull, Regulus II equipped boats and ships would have been fitted out with the Ships Inertial Navigation System (SINS), allowing the missiles to be aligned accurately before take-off.
Due to the high cost of the missiles (approx one million dollars each), budgetary pressure, and the emergence of the SLBM, the Regulus missile program was terminated on 19 November 1958. Support for the programme was finally withdrawn on 18 December 1958, when the incumbent Secretary of the Navy Gates cancelled the project. At the time of cancellation Vought had completed twenty missiles with 27 more on the production line.
Description
The airframe followed contemporary aircraft construction techniques, with weight savings from the use of advanced materials and the short airborne life of the missile. The fuselage was essentially tubular, tapering to a point at the nose, housing the guidance equipment, warhead and systems equipment. And engine, which was fed with air through a distinctive wedge shaped intake under the centre fuselage. The swept wings attached to the fuselage at the mid position roughly halfway along the length and a large swept fin attached to the top of the fuselage at the rear which was sometimes augmented by a large ventral fin at the extreme rear of the fuselage.Primary control of the Regulus II was through the use of elevons fitted to thje outer half of the wing trailing-edges, as the missile was not fitted with a tailplane, and a rudder fitted to the trailing edge of the fin. Flaps were fitted to the inner half of the trailing edge for use during take-off. Additional stability and contol in pitch was provided by small trapezoidal canard foreplanes near the nose of the fuselage.
To launch the missile, the carrier vessel had to surface and deploy the missile and launch apparatus, which consisted of a zero length launcher. Once deployed, the missile had to be linked to the submarine or ships navigation system to align the inertial navigation system and input target co-ordinates. With the navigation system ready and launch authorisation given, the missile engine would be run-up to full power with afterburner and the large solid-fuelled rocket booster ignited, immediately the missile would leave the zero length launcher and continue to the target autonomously.
Regulus Target Drones
Suitable missiles from the development programme and production line were converted to supersonic target drones as the KD2U-1, later re-designated as the MQM-15A and GQM-15A. These targets were used for training of IM-99 Bomarc missile crews firing from Santa Rosa IslandSanta Rosa Island
There are at least two islands named Santa Rosa Island:*Santa Rosa Island, California, one of the Channel Islands*Santa Rosa Island, Florida**Battle of Santa Rosa Island, a battle of the American Civil War...
and controlled by the Montgomery Air Defense Sector, at Gunter Air Force Base
Gunter Air Force Base
Gunter Annex is a United States Air Force installation located in the North-northeast suburbs of Montgomery, Alabama. The base is named after former Montgomery mayor William Adams Gunter. Until 1992 it was known as Gunter Air Force Base or Gunter Air Force Station...
, in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
. The KD2U-1 targets were launched from the Eglin Gulf Test Range base near Venice, Florida
Venice, Florida
Venice is a city in Sarasota County, Florida, United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 estimates, the city had a population of 21,015. It is noted for its large snowbird population. Its newspaper is the Venice Gondolier Sun...
. Drone flights at Eglin commenced on 3 September 1959 making 46 flights with 13 missiles. After the Bomarc tests the remaining missiles were moved to Roosevelt Roads Naval Station
Roosevelt Roads Naval Station
Roosevelt Roads Naval Station is a former United States military air base in the town of Ceiba, Puerto Rico. The site is run today as José Aponte de la Torre Airport, a public use airport.-History:...
, in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
by 30 September 1961, where flights commenced testing Tartar
RIM-24 Tartar
The General Dynamics RIM-24 Tartar was a medium-range naval surface-to-air missile , and was among the earliest surface-to-air missiles to equip United States Navy ships...
, Terrier and Talos missiles. On completion of the Puerto Rico testing in 1963 the Regulus IIs were moved to Point Mugu, California
Point Mugu, California
Point Mugu , California is an unincorporated area and geographical promontory on the Pacific coast in Ventura County, near the town of Port Hueneme and the city of Oxnard. The name is believed to be derived from the Chumash Indian term Muwu, meaning beach, which was first mentioned by Cabrillo in...
where they remained in use until December 1965.
Surviving Regulus II missiles
Frontiers of Flight Museum, Dallas Love Field, Texas- A Regulus II missile
Point Mugu Missile Park, Naval Air Station Point Mugu
Naval Air Station Point Mugu
Naval Base Ventura County Point Mugu or NBVC Point Mugu is a military airbase located in Point Mugu, Ventura County, California, United States. Due to realignment actions which occurred in 2000, the base is now part of Naval Base Ventura County , a consolidated organization that also includes...
, California
- The museum's collection includes both a Regulus and a Regulus II missile
Veterans Memorial Museum, Huntsville, Alabama
- A Regulus II missile
Variants
SSM-N-9 Regulus II:The basic designation of the missile, pre 1964.SSM-N-9a Regulus II:The designation of production missiles, pre 1964.
XRSSM-N-9 Regulus II:Prototype missiles fitted with retractable landing gear for land based development flights, powered by Wright J65
Wright J65
|-See also:-External links:*...
turbojet engines and Aerojet General
Aerojet
Aerojet is an American rocket and missile propulsion manufacturer based primarily in Rancho Cordova, California with divisions in Redmond, Washington, Orange, Gainesville and Camden, Arkansas. Aerojet is owned by GenCorp. They are the only US propulsion company that provides both solid rocket...
booster rockets.
XRSSM-N-9a:Prototype missiles fitted with retractable landing gear for land based development flights, powered by General Electric J79 turbojet engines and Rocketdyne
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne
Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne is a United States company that designs and produces rocket engines that use liquid propellants. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, headquartered in Canoga Park, California, is a division of Pratt & Whitney, itself a wholly owned subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation...
booster rockets.
YTSSM-N-9a:Development Training missiles with retractable landing gear.
TSSM-N-9a:Production training missiles with retractable landing gear.
RQM-15A:Regulus II missiles re-designated in April 1963.
MQM-15A:KD2U-1 Target drones used for research and as targets for the IM-99 Bomarc SAM
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
.
GQM-15A:Gear equipped KD2U-1 target drones re-designated.
External links
- Carolinas Aviation Museum
- http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-15.html
- http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/systems/regulus2.htm
- http://aboutsubs.com/halibut.htm
- http://www.vectorsite.net/twcruz_3.html#m3
- http://www.angelfire.com/realm3/roynagl/regulus.htm#regulus
- http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/regulus2.htm
- http://sobchak.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/ad-vought-regulus-ii-1950s/
- http://www.navsource.org/archives/14/26idx.htm
- http://www.corbisimages.com/Enlargement/UKD2883INP.html