American CIM-10 "Bomark" anti-aircraft missile system of extra long range
US monopoly on nuclear weapon 29 ended on August 1949 after a successful test at the test site in the Semipalatinsk region of Kazakhstan of a stationary nuclear explosive device. Simultaneously with the preparation for the tests was the development and assembly of samples suitable for practical use.
The United States believed that the Soviet Union would not have atomic weapons until at least the mid-50s. However, already in 1950 there were nine in the USSR, and at the end of 1951, 29 RDS-1 atomic bombs. October 18, 1951 the first Soviet aviation the RDS-3 atomic bomb was first tested by dropping it from a Tu-4 bomber.
The Tu-4 long-range bomber, based on the B-29 American bomber, was able to strike at US forward bases in Western Europe, including in England. But his combat range was not enough to attack the United States and return.
Nevertheless, the United States military-political leadership was aware that the appearance of intercontinental bombers in the USSR was only a matter of the near future. These expectations were soon fully met. At the beginning of 1955, the M-4 bombers (chief designer V. M. Myasishchev) began to operate in the long-range units of the Long-Range Aviation, followed by: the improved 3М and Tu-95 (OKB A. N. Tupolev).
The base of the air defense of the continental USA at the beginning of the 50's was jet interceptors. For air defense throughout the vast territory of North America in 1951, there were about 900 fighters adapted to intercept Soviet strategic bombers. In addition to them, it was decided to develop and deploy anti-aircraft missile systems.
But on this issue, the opinions of the military are divided. The ground forces defended the concept of object protection based on the Nike-Ajax and Nike-Hercules medium-range and long-range air defense systems. This concept assumed that air defense facilities: cities, military bases, and industry, must each hide behind their own batteries of anti-aircraft missiles, tied into a common control system. The same concept of building air defense was adopted in the USSR.
Representatives of the Air Force, on the contrary, insisted that the “object defense” in the age of atomic weapons was not reliable, and offered ultra-long-range air defense systems capable of carrying out “territorial defense” - preventing adversary planes even close to the objects to be defended. Given the size of the United States, such a task was perceived as extremely important.
The economic evaluation of the draft proposed by the Air Force showed that it is more expedient, and will be released approximately 2,5 times cheaper with the same probability of defeat. At the same time, fewer staff were required, and a large area was protected. Nevertheless, the Congress, wanting to get the most powerful air defense, approved both options.
The uniqueness of the Bomark air defense missile system was that from the very beginning it was developed as a direct element of the NORAD system. The complex did not have its own radar or control systems.
Initially it was assumed that the complex should be integrated with the existing early-warning radars, which were part of NORAD, and the SAGE (Eng. Semi Automatic Ground Environment) system, a system of semi-automatic interceptors coordinating by programming their autopilots on the radio with computers on the ground. Which led interceptors to the approaching enemy bombers. The SAGE system, which worked according to the NORAD radars, ensured the interception of the interceptor to the target area without the participation of the pilot. Thus, the Air Force needed to develop only a missile integrated into the already existing interceptor targeting system.
From the very beginning, CIM-10 Bomark was designed as an integral element of this system. It was assumed that the rocket, immediately after launching and climbing, would turn on the autopilot and go to the target area, automatically coordinating the flight through the SAGE control system. Homing worked only when approaching the goal.
In fact, the new air defense system was an unmanned interceptor, and for it at the first stage of development it was intended to be reusable. The drone was supposed to use air-to-air missiles against the attacked aircraft, then make a soft landing using a parachute rescue system. However, due to the excessive complexity of this option and the delaying of the process of fine-tuning and testing, it was abandoned.
As a result, the developers decided to build a one-time interceptor, equipping it with a powerful fragmentation or nuclear warhead with a capacity of about 10 CT. According to calculations, this was enough to destroy an airplane or a cruise missile when a missile interceptor missed 1000 m. Later, other types of nuclear warheads with a 0,1 - 0,5 Mt capacity were used to increase the likelihood of hitting the target.
According to the design of the missile "Bomark" was a projectile (cruise missile) of the normal aerodynamic configuration, with the placement of the steering surfaces in the tail section. Swivel wings have a sweep leading edge 50 hail. They do not rotate entirely, but have a triangular aileron at the ends - each console around 1 m, which provide flight control along the course, pitch and roll.
The launch was carried out vertically, using a liquid launch accelerator, which accelerated the rocket to a speed of M = 2. The starting accelerator for the “A” missile was a rocket engine operating on kerosene with the addition of asymmetric dimethyl hydrazine and nitric acid. This engine, which worked about 45 seconds, accelerated the rocket to the speed at which the ramjet was activated at an altitude of about 10 km, after which two of its own direct-flow Marquardt RJ43-MA-3 engines running on gasoline with octane 80 began to work.
After launching the missile defense, it flies vertically to the height of the cruise flight, then turns around to the target. By this time, the tracking radar detects it and switches to auto tracking using an on-board radio responder. The second, horizontal part of the flight, occurs at a cruising altitude in the target area. The SAGE air defense system processed the data of the locators and transmitted them via cables (laid underground) to the relay stations, near which the rocket flew at that moment. Depending on the maneuvers of the target, the trajectory of the Zour flight in this area may vary. Autopilot received data on changes in the course of the enemy, and coordinated its course in accordance with this. When approaching the target, a homing head operating in pulsed mode (in a three-centimeter frequency range) was switched on by a command from the ground.
Initially, the complex received the designation XF-99, then IM-99 and only then CIM-10A. Flight tests of anti-aircraft missiles began in the 1952 year. The complex entered service in 1957 year. Serially, rockets were manufactured by Boeing from 1957 to 1961. Total manufactured 269 missiles modification "A" and 301 modification "B". Most of the deployed missiles were equipped with nuclear warheads.
The missiles were launched from block-shaped reinforced concrete shelters located on well-protected bases, each of which was equipped with a large number of installations. There were several types of launch hangars for the Bomark air-defense system: with a sliding roof, with sliding walls, etc.
In the first variant, the block reinforced concrete shelter (length 18,3, width 12,8, height 3,9 m) for the launcher consisted of two parts: the launch compartment, in which the launcher itself was mounted, and the compartment with a number of rooms where control devices and equipment for launch control were mounted .
To bring the launcher into a firing position by hydraulic drives, the roof flaps are pulled apart (two shields of thickness 0,56 m and weight of 15 t each). The rocket boom from horizontal to vertical position. It takes up to 2 minutes for these operations, as well as for switching on the onboard equipment of the missile defense system.
The SAM base consists of an assembly and repair shop, launchers proper and a compressor station. In the assembly and repair shop, rockets are assembled, which arrive unassembled at the base in separate transport containers. In the same shop the necessary repair and maintenance of missiles.
The initial deployment plan for the system, adopted in 1955, provided for the deployment of 52 missile bases with 160 missiles on each. This was supposed to completely cover the territory of the United States from any type of air attack.
1960 deployed the entire 10 positions - 8 in the USA and 2 in Canada. Deploying launchers in Canada is associated with the desire of the US military as far as possible to move the line of interception from its borders. This was especially true in connection with the use of nuclear warheads at the Bomark missile defense system. The first squadron "Bomark" was deployed in Canada 31 December 1963 of the year. The missiles remained in the Canadian Air Force arsenal, although they were considered US property and were on alert under the supervision of American officers.
The bases of the Bomark air defense system were deployed at the following points.
U.S.:
- 6 th missile air defense squadron (New York) - 56 missiles "A";
- 22 th missile air defense squadron (Virginia) - 28 missiles "A" and 28 missiles "B";
- 26 th missile air defense squadron (Massachusetts) - 28 missiles "A" and 28 missiles "B";
- 30-th missile squadron of air defense (Maine) - 28 missiles "B";
- 35 Air Defense Missile Squadron (New York) - 56 B missiles;
- 38 th missile air defense squadron (Michigan) - 28 missiles "B";
- 46 th missile air defense squadron (New Jersey) - 28 missiles "A", 56 missiles "B";
- 74 Air Defense Missile Squadron (Minnesota) - 28 Missile B.
Canada:
- 446 th missile squadron (Ontario) - 28 missiles "B";
- 447 th missile squadron (Quebec) - 28 missiles "B".
In 1961, an improved version of the CIM-10В SAM was adopted. Unlike the modification “A”, the new rocket had a solid-propellant starting accelerator, improved aerodynamics and an improved homing system.
The homing radar Westinghouse AN / DPN-53, operating in continuous mode, significantly increased the capabilities of the missile to hit low-flying targets. The radar installed on the CIM-10B SAM could capture a fighter-type target at a distance of 20 km. New engines RJ43-MA-11 allowed to increase the radius to 800 km, at a speed of almost 3,2 M. All the missiles of this modification were loaded only with nuclear warheads, as the US military demanded from developers the maximum probability of hitting the target.
However, in the US 60-s nuclear warheads were put on all that is possible. Thus, the atomic neutral Devi Crocket with a range of several kilometers, the unmanaged air-to-air missile AIR-2 Ginny, the air-to-air missile AIM-26 Falcon and etc. Most of the long-range MIM-14 Nike-Hercules anti-aircraft complex deployed in the US are also equipped with nuclear warheads.
The layout scheme of the "Bomark A" (a) and "Bomark B" (B): 1 - homing head; 2 - electronic equipment; 3 - combat compartment; 4 - combat compartment, electronic equipment, electric batteries; 5 - RAMJET
In appearance, modifications of missiles "A" and "B" differ little from each other. The head radio transparent body fairing ZUR, made of fiberglass, covers the homing head. The cylindrical part of the hull is mainly occupied by a steel supporting tank for liquid fuel ramjet fuel. Their starting weight is 6860 and 7272 kg; length 14,3 and 13,7 m, respectively. They have the same diameters of the hulls - 0,89 m, wingspan - 5,54 m and stabilizers 3,2 m.
In addition to the increased speed and range, the CIM-10В missiles have become significantly safer in operation and easier to maintain. Their solid fuel boosters did not contain toxic, corrosive and explosive components.
An improved version of the Bomark launch vehicle has significantly increased the ability to intercept targets. But it took only 10 years and this air defense system was removed from service with the US Air Force. First of all, this was due to the production and deployment of a large number of ICBMs in combat duty in the USSR, against which the Bomark air defense system was absolutely useless.
The plans to intercept Soviet long-range bombers by anti-aircraft missiles with nuclear warheads over the territory of Canada caused numerous protests among the inhabitants of the country. Canadians did not want to admire the “nuclear fireworks” over their cities for the sake of US security. Objections of Canadians against Bohark with nuclear warheads led to the resignation of Prime Minister John Diefenbaker’s government in 1963.
As a result, the inability to deal with ICBMs, political complications, the high cost of operation, combined with the inability to relocate the complexes, led to the rejection of its further operation, although most of the existing missiles did not serve the prescribed time.
For comparison, the long-range MIM-14 Nike-Hercules ADMS adopted almost simultaneously with the CIM-10 Bomark air defense system was operated in the American armed forces until the middle of the 80's, and in the armies of the American allies until the end of the 90's. After which the Patriot MIM-104 was replaced.
Removed from combat duty of the CIM-10 SAM after dismantling the warheads and installing the remote control system using radio commands, were operated in the 4571 squadron of support until the 1979 year. They were used as targets imitating Soviet supersonic cruise missiles.
When assessing the Bomark air defense missile system, two diametrically opposite opinions are usually expressed, from: “vundervaflya” to “non-analogue”. The funny thing is that both of them are fair. The flight characteristics of the Bomarka remain unique to this day. The effective range of the modification “A” was 320 kilometers at speed 2,8 M. The modification “B” could accelerate to 3,1 M, and had a radius 780 kilometers. At the same time, the combat effectiveness of this complex was largely doubtful.
In the case of a real nuclear attack on the USA, the Bomark air defense missile system could function effectively until the SAGE interceptor’s global targeting system was alive (which is very doubtful if a full-scale nuclear war began). Partial or complete loss of performance of even one link of this system consisting of: radar guidance, computer centers, communication lines or command transmission stations - inevitably led to the impossibility of removing CIM-10 anti-aircraft missiles to the target area.
But anyway, the creation of the CIM-10 "Bomark" SAM was a major achievement of the American aviation and radio industry during the Cold War. Fortunately, this complex, which was on duty, was never used for its intended purpose. Now these once formidable anti-aircraft missiles, carrying nuclear charges, can be seen only in museums.
Based on:
http://www.designation-systems.net
http://pvo.guns.ru
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