Bomarc

a surface-to-air missile developed by Boeing and the Michigan Aerospace Research Center

The Bomarc was based horizontally in a semi-hardened "coffin shelter." After launch, the booster would accelerate the vehicle to supersonic speed, at which point a ramjet ignited and took the missile to a Mach 2.8 cruise speed at 65,000 feet. It was guided to its target by ground commands until it was within 10 miles, at which time it could guide itself using active radar. First-generation Bomarcs could be equipped with either a conventional high-explosive or a nuclear fission warhead. All second-generation Bomarcs were equipped with nuclear warheads.

The first Bomarcs rolled off the assembly line on December 30, 1957, and were put into use by the U.S. Air Force in 1959. They were decommissioned in 1972.

WEB SOURCE
Encyclopedia Astronautica http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/bomarc.htm

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This page was last updated on 04/18/2017.