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| ASM-N-2 Bat | |
|---|---|
| Name | ASM-N-2 Bat |
| Type | Glide bomb / Radar-guided glide bomb |
| Origin | United States |
| Used by | United States Navy |
| Manufacturer | National Bureau of Standards / Bell Aircraft / Westinghouse Electric Corporation |
| Service | 1944–1945 |
| Wars | World War II |
ASM-N-2 Bat.
The ASM-N-2 Bat was an American radar-guided glide bomb developed during World War II for use by the United States Navy against shipping and land targets. Combining airframe work by Bell Aircraft with radar seeker technology from Westinghouse Electric Corporation and guidance research associated with the National Bureau of Standards, the weapon represented an early operational autonomous guided munition deployed in combat theaters such as the Pacific War.
Development began when the United States Navy sought precision anti-ship weapons in response to losses inflicted by Imperial Japanese Navy surface and submarine forces. Early programs included projects at National Bureau of Standards and experimental work at Naval Research Laboratory and coordination with Bureau of Ordnance planners. Bell Aircraft adapted a streamlined gliding airframe influenced by designs from Curtiss-Wright and aerodynamic research at Langley Research Center, while Westinghouse supplied an active radar seeker derived from technology used in SG radar and experimental sets from MIT Radiation Laboratory. Guidance integrated automatic target acquisition similar to principles explored by engineers at General Electric and testing conducted at Patuxent River Naval Air Station and Naval Air Station Alameda.
The Bat combined a 1,000-pound-class warhead with a mid-wing glider and retractable landing gear for carriage on patrol aircraft such as the Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer and the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura. The seeker operated in the microwave band and provided proportional guidance tied to control surfaces developed under contract by Hamilton Standard. Production and assembly involved facilities at Philadelphia Navy Yard and subcontractors in New Jersey and Connecticut, reflecting coordination among naval procurement offices and industry partners.
Operational deployment began in 1944–1945 with patrol squadrons assigned to Fleet Air Wing units operating in the South Pacific Area and Philippine Sea. The weapon was credited with several successful attacks on Japanese shipping and coastal installations during late-war reconnaissance-strike missions originating from bases such as Henderson Field and Ulithi Atoll. Crews from squadrons including VPB-109 and VPB-123 conducted operational trials and combat sorties, flying from escort carriers like USS Anzio (CVE-57) and land bases supported by Seventh Fleet logistics.
Postwar evaluations by Naval Air Station Patuxent River and studies by Office of Naval Research personnel assessed the Bat's effectiveness, reliability, and production costs. The weapon influenced early Cold War guided-weapon programs at Naval Ordnance Laboratory and contributed technical lessons to later systems developed by companies such as Raytheon and Lockheed. The limited wartime use, coupled with rapid postwar technological advances in turbojet-powered missiles and airborne radar, curtailed extensive service life.
- Manufacturer: Bell Aircraft, seeker by Westinghouse Electric Corporation; development assistance from National Bureau of Standards. - Role: semi-autonomous anti-ship glide bomb deployed from patrol aircraft like Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer and Lockheed PV-1 Ventura. - Warhead: ~1,000 lb blast/HE charge comparable to contemporary aerial ordnance used by United States Navy patrol squadrons. - Guidance: active microwave radar seeker operating in frequencies akin to SG radar equipment; automatic homing with control surfaces actuated by electro-mechanical servos similar to units developed by Sperry Corporation. - Airframe: mid-wing wooden and metal construction influenced by aerodynamic research at Langley Research Center and energy-managed glide profiles demonstrated in tests at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. - Launch parameters: launched from medium-altitude patrol bomber runs; effective engagement envelope against merchant and small warship targets in littoral waters of the Pacific Ocean. - Production: limited wartime runs with assembly at Philadelphia Navy Yard and subcontractors in New Jersey and Connecticut.
Several incremental versions and experimental modifications were trialed, including seeker calibrations and airframe tweaks overseen by Bureau of Ordnance engineers and contractors: - Initial service batch with baseline Westinghouse seeker and standard control servos tested by VPB-109. - Modified seeker variant with improved clutter rejection developed in cooperation with MIT Radiation Laboratory technicians. - Prototype guidance upgrades trialed postwar in studies by the Office of Naval Research that informed subsequent guided weapon programs at Naval Ordnance Laboratory and defense firms such as Raytheon.
Original examples and replicas have been preserved and exhibited at aviation and naval museums including collections associated with National Naval Aviation Museum, Smithsonian Institution-affiliated exhibits, and regional museums that document World War II naval aviation and ordnance. Surviving airframes, seeker components, and documentation are held in archives at institutions like Naval History and Heritage Command and research collections at Patuxent River Naval Air Museum, where historians and curators study the Bat’s role in the evolution of precision-guided munitions.
Category:Air-dropped guided weapons Category:United States Navy weapons