AGM-45 Shrike

AGM-45 Shrike. The AGM-45 Shrike was the first mass-produced anti-radiation missile developed for the United States Armed Forces. Designed to suppress and destroy enemy air defense systems by homing on their radar emissions, it entered service during the Vietnam War and saw extensive use by the United States Navy and the United States Air Force. Although limited by its technological constraints, it pioneered the tactical concept of Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) and influenced subsequent designs like the AGM-78 Standard ARM and the AGM-88 HARM.

Development and design

The development of the missile was initiated by the Naval Weapons Center at China Lake, California in the late 1950s, driven by the growing threat posed by Soviet-supplied surface-to-air missile systems like the S-75 Dvina. Engineers, including notable figures like Malcolm Currie, adapted the airframe and rocket motor from the AIM-7 Sparrow air-to-air missile. The key innovation was its passive radar homing seeker head, built by Texas Instruments, which allowed it to detect and track emissions from enemy fire-control and acquisition radars. Early designs faced significant challenges with seeker sensitivity and susceptibility to radar shutdown, requiring pilots from units like the USAF Wild Weasels to employ complex attack profiles. The program received urgent priority during the escalating conflict in Southeast Asia, leading to rapid fielding despite its technical shortcomings.

Operational history

The missile was first deployed in combat in 1965 during Operation Rolling Thunder over North Vietnam. It was primarily used by United States Navy squadrons operating from carriers like the USS Coral Sea (CV-43) and by United States Air Force F-105 Thunderchief and F-4 Phantom II crews in the Wild Weasel role. Its primary targets were radars associated with SA-2 Guideline batteries and anti-aircraft artillery systems. Effectiveness was mixed; while it forced Vietnam People's Air Force operators to shut down their radars, thereby degrading air defenses, the primitive seeker was easily defeated by toggling power or using decoy emitters. It saw further action during the Yom Kippur War with the Israeli Air Force and in limited use during Operation El Dorado Canyon against Libya. The weapon was gradually phased out in favor of more advanced missiles, with the final U.S. examples retired in the early 1990s after service in Operation Desert Storm.

Variants

Multiple variants were produced, primarily differentiated by their seeker heads tuned to specific radar frequency bands. The initial AGM-45A model was followed by the AGM-45B, which featured an improved motor. The most numerous family was the AGM-45A-1 through A-10, each with seekers optimized for different threats, such as those from the Fan Song radar or Spoon Rest early warning systems. The AGM-45A-3/3A was a dedicated anti-SON-9 (Fire Can) radar version used against NVA anti-aircraft artillery. The Israeli Defense Forces developed a unique variant, sometimes designated the AGM-45B, with a locally improved seeker. These sub-variants necessitated complex logistics, as intelligence on the active enemy radar order of battle was required to load the correct missile before a mission.

Specifications (AGM-45A)

* **Length:** 10 ft (3.05 m) * **Wingspan:** 3 ft (0.91 m) * **Diameter:** 8 in (203 mm) * **Launch Weight:** 390 lb (177 kg) * **Warhead:** 145 lb (66 kg) M117 blast-fragmentation * **Propulsion:** Aerojet MK 39 or Hercules MK 53 mod 1 solid-fuel rocket motor * **Speed:** Mach 1.5 * **Range:** Approx. 12 mi (19 km) * **Guidance:** Passive radar homing seeker (multiple frequency bands) * **Fuzing:** Impact and proximity fuze

Operators

The primary operator was the United States, through the United States Navy and the United States Air Force. It was also exported to several key allies. The Israeli Air Force employed it extensively in the War of Attrition and the Yom Kippur War. The United Kingdom acquired a small number for its Royal Air Force SEPECAT Jaguar aircraft. Other operators included the Imperial Iranian Air Force under the Pahlavi dynasty, the Republic of China Air Force (Taiwan), and reportedly the Chilean Air Force. The missile was not widely exported through programs like Foreign Military Sales due to its specialized role and rapid technological obsolescence.

Category:Anti-radiation missiles of the United States Category:Air-to-surface missiles of the United States Category:Vietnam War weapons of the United States