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RIM-50 Typhon

Field	Value
is_missile	yes
name	RIM-50 Typhon LR
RIM-55 Typhon MR
image	SAM-N-8 Typhon LR on launcher.jpg
image_size	300
caption	Typhon LR on launcher
origin	United States
type	Long range surface-to-air missile
used_by	United States Navy
manufacturer	Bendix Corporation
spec_label	Typhon LR
engine	Booster, solid-propellant rocket
Sustainer, Bendix ramjet
weight	1700 lb without booster
3620 lb with booster
length	15 ft without booster
27 ft with booster
diameter	16 in missile
18.5 in booster
wingspan	3 ft missile
5 ft booster
speed	Mach 4.0
vehicle_range	200 nmi
ceiling	95000 ft
filling	150 lb high explosive
or W60 nuclear
guidance	Track-via-missile
detonation	Proximity fuse
ref	Parsch 2001a

RIM-55 Typhon MR Sustainer, Bendix ramjet 3620 lb with booster 27 ft with booster 18.5 in booster 5 ft booster or W60 nuclear

Typhon was a missile system developed by the United States Navy in the late 1950s, intended to serve as an integrated air-defense system for Navy fleets. Consisting of the SAM-N-8 Typhon LR, later designated RIM-50A, and the SAM-N-9 Typhon MR, later RIM-55A, paired with the AN/SPG-59 radar system, the cost of the Typhon system led to it being cancelled in favor of the Standard Missile program.

Design and development

Development of Typhon was initiated in the late 1950s, as the existing Talos, Terrier, and Tartar ("3 Ts") long-, medium-, and short-ranged missiles were considered to be approaching obsolescence; in the event of a mass attack by Soviet bomber forces, the requirement for each missile to have its own dedicated ship-based target illuminator would lead to rapid saturation of the defensive system. The Typhon system, developed under a contract awarded to the Bendix Corporation, would overcome this through the use of the AN/SPG-59 electronically scanned array radar system, capable of tracking and engaging multiple targets simultaneously.

The missile system to complement the radar was originally named Super Talos (long-range) and Super Tartar (short-range), but to avoid confusion with upgrades for the existing missiles was soon renamed Typhon. Typhon LR, the only version of the Typhon missile system to be test-flown, was ramjet-powered and capable of intercepting high-speed aircraft and missiles. It could engage targets in the Mach 3–4 range at between 50 ft to 95000 ft altitude and 6000 yd to 110 nmi range. A secondary capability in the surface-to-surface role, capable of targeting enemy ships, was also included in the specification. While primarily intended to be armed with a conventional high explosive warhead, Typhon LR was designed to be capable of carrying the W60 nuclear warhead.

Typhon MR was designed to be capable of intercepting aircraft at between 50 ft to 50000 ft in altitude and 3000 yd to 25 nmi range. It had yet to enter testing before the Typhon project was cancelled.

Operational history

In March 1961, the first test launches of the SAM-N-8 Typhon LR took place; beginning in 1962, the test ship entered refit to install the Typhon Weapon Control System to allow at-sea tests to be undertaken. However, the expense of the Typhon system, combined with the technical issues encountered during development, led to the program being cancelled in November 1963. The conversion of Norton Sound was allowed to be completed to provide test data, with the ship recommissioning in June 1964; following the tests, the Typhon equipment was removed in July 1966.

In lieu of Typhon, the U.S. Navy developed the Standard Missile family to provide air defense for the fleet, with the RIM-66 Standard and RIM-67 Standard ER missiles replacing Tartar and Terrier, respectively.

References

Citations

Bibliography

References

Senate Committee on Appropriations 1964, p. 521.
Boslaugh 1999, p. 379.
Parsch 2001a
Polmar and Norris 2009, p. 224.
Parsch 2001b
DANFS 1970
Boslaugh 1999, p.180.

Info: Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

naval-surface-to-air-missiles-of-the-united-states abandoned-military-rocket-and-missile-projects-of-the-united-states cold-war-nuclear-missiles-of-the-united-states cold-war-surface-to-air-missiles-of-the-united-states nuclear-anti-aircraft-weapons bendix-corporation

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