AGM-28 Hound Dog

AGM-28 Hound Dog was a supersonic, air-launched cruise missile deployed by the United States Air Force during the Cold War. Designed as a standoff weapon for the B-52 Stratofortress bomber, it was intended to suppress Soviet surface-to-air missile sites before the aircraft reached its primary target. The missile, developed with great urgency by North American Aviation, entered service in 1960 and remained a key component of Strategic Air Command's nuclear deterrent for nearly two decades.

Development and design

The development of the Hound Dog was initiated in response to the rapidly advancing Soviet Air Defence Forces and the demonstrated effectiveness of their S-75 Dvina missile system. The United States Department of Defense issued a requirement for a long-range missile to allow B-52 crews to engage heavily defended targets from outside the range of enemy defenses. North American Aviation won the contract in 1957, adapting technology from their Navaho program and utilizing a modified Pratt & Whitney J52 turbojet engine. The design featured a sleek, aerodynamic airframe with swept wings and was guided by a sophisticated inertial navigation system developed by the Autonetics division. This system allowed the missile to fly a pre-programmed course at high altitude and speeds exceeding Mach 2, delivering its thermonuclear W28 warhead with considerable accuracy for the era.

Operational history

The AGM-28 was declared operational with the Strategic Air Command in 1960, with the first units deployed to Barksdale Air Force Base. Each B-52G and later B-52H could carry two missiles, one under each wing on specially designed pylons. The primary mission profile involved launching the Hound Dog well before reaching the target area to destroy or degrade surface-to-air missile batteries and radar installations, clearing a path for the bomber. Crews from wings such as the 2nd Bomb Wing and 99th Strategic Weapons Wing conducted continuous alert duties throughout the 1960s. Although never used in combat, the missile's presence significantly complicated Soviet defense planning. By the mid-1970s, the system was becoming obsolete compared to newer weapons like the AGM-69 SRAM, and it was phased out of service by 1978.

Variants

* GAM-77 (later AGM-28A): The initial production variant. It used a less powerful engine and had a slightly shorter range. * GAM-77A (later AGM-28B): The definitive and most-produced variant. It incorporated the more powerful Pratt & Whitney J52-P-3 engine, an improved inertial navigation system from Autonetics, and enhanced electronic countermeasures. All AGM-28A missiles were eventually upgraded to this standard. * Other designations: Test and training versions were designated GAM-77C and included inert warheads and telemetry packages for monitoring flight performance.

Specifications (AGM-28B)

* **Length:** 42 ft 6 in (12.95 m) * **Wingspan:** 12 ft 2 in (3.71 m) * **Diameter:** 28 in (0.71 m) * **Launch Weight:** 9,600 lb (4,350 kg) * **Engine:** One Pratt & Whitney J52-P-3 turbojet, 7,500 lbf (33 kN) thrust * **Speed:** Mach 2.1 * **Range:** 785 miles (1,263 km) * **Guidance:** Inertial navigation system (Autonetics) * **Warhead:** W28 thermonuclear weapon with a yield of 1.1 megatons

Operators

The sole operator of the AGM-28 Hound Dog was the United States Air Force, specifically the Strategic Air Command. Major operational units included the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, the 99th Strategic Weapons Wing at Westover Air Force Base, the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot Air Force Base, and the 42nd Bomb Wing at Loring Air Force Base. The missile was also used for training and testing at sites like the Eglin Air Force Base range complex.

Category:Air-to-surface missiles of the United States Category:Cruise missiles Category:Cold War nuclear missiles of the United States