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'Air-to-Surface' Missile |
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'Air-to-Surface' Missile |
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Bullpup Background In 1953, the United States Navy initiated a requirement for a short-range 'Air-to-Ground' guided missile. This came out of the poor bombing results achieved while attempting to destroy bridges during the Korean War conflict. The aim was to reduce the exposure of ground-attacking aircraft to enemy fire by utilising a 'Stand-Off' offensive capability and greater accuracy in destroying specific targets, than with conventional 'Free-Fall' bombs. In 1954, the contract to develop and produce the missile was awarded to Martin Marietta - designation ASM-N-7 Bullpup. This became the United States Navy and Air Forces' first successful Tactical 'Air-to-Ground' Guided missile. In April 1959, the ASM-N-7 Bullpup production version entered service with the United States Navy. This was a 'Roll-Stabilised' missile with a solid-fuel rocket motor. Control of the missile was by visual 'Line-of-Sight' by the operator, and a relatively simple 'stick-operated' radio control system. Once the target had been detected, the 'Operator' would launch the missile and track it with the help of two flares mounted either side of the rocket motor at the rear of the missile. This was then manually guided onto the target. |
Drawbacks Because of the crude manual guidance system employed to control the flightpath of the Bullpup, there were severe limitations with this missile system. The major problem was that the aircraft, missile and target had to remain in a straight line for a successful attack. Though Potentially of 'Stand-Off' strike capability, this meant however that the launch aircraft was unable to concentrate on it's own survival from enemy fire while completing it's attack, if the resultant missile delivery was to achieve results. |
Royal Navy Service An improved version of the ASM-N-7 was tested with a new propulsion system, the ASM-N-7a. The solid-fuel propellant was replaced with a liquid-fuelled rocket motor, known as LR58-RM-4, and produced by Thiokol (Reaction Motors). The advantages of this were an increase in operational range and storable propellants. The warhead was a derrivative of a conventional 250lb bomb. This model was designated ASM-N-7a Bullpup-A and entered operational service with the US Navy in 1960. At this time, the Royal Navy were themselves expressing interest in this 'Stand-off' strike capability for their fleet carrier aircraft. To this end, extensive 'Weapon Trials' were carried out by Blackburns' at Holme-on-Spalding Moor during the early 1960's to evaluate the ASM-N-7a Bullpup-A - A major test aircraft utilised for this was NA.39 XK525. Full acceptance being achieved following trials at RAE West Freugh and the Aircraft & Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) Boscombe Down. The missile became a major component of the Buccaneer S.Mk.1 weapons' arsenal during the aircraft types 'Operational Service' with the Royal Navy. However, as had been previously show by the US Navy, the Bullpup was neither a reliable or very accurate weapon. |
NA.39 - 'XK525' - Holme-on-Spalding Moor, early 1960's |
| In 1963, the old designation system was replaced and the ASM-N-7a Bullpup-A missile variant was re-designated AGM-12B Bullpup-A. Improved versions of this missile were developed over the years, but the inherent problems from the initial design i.e. visual range and manual flightpath targeting, meant that the type was severely limited in operation. The Royal Navy never invested in any of these uprated versions of the Bullpup design. Conclusion The AGM-12B Bullpup-A remained in service with the Royal Navy Buccaneer S.Mk.2's into the late 1960's, but for many years the weapon of choice had become the rocket projectile pod. The Fleet Air Arm utilised the 36-tube 2in rocket pod. The Bullpup filled an important area of the early Buccaneers' offensive armament, but at the end of the day it's limitations outweighed it's effectiveness and hence was rarely considered for operational use. |
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| Source - | Buccaneer: The story of the last all-British strike aircraft (Tim Laming) The Buccaneers (Air Commodore Graham Pitchfork) Wings of Fame - volume 14 (Aerospace Publishing Ltd) Hawker Siddeley/Blackburn Buccaneer (Paul Jackson & Peter Foster) (see Reference Library page for full details) |
Additional Info. - | Federation of American Scientists Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles |
