TALOS MISSILE

Picture courtesy The National Geographic Society
. .4. .3. .2. .1. . FIRE

TALOS MISSILE DATA

HISTORY

TALOS was an outgrowth of the Bumblebee program (along with TERRIER et al). This program was initiated at Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Lab in 1945 and saw the development of the ram jet engine that became the final stage propulsion of the TALOS. R&D on TALOS began in 1948. The missile became operational aboard the GALVESTON in 1958.

PRINCIPAL CONTRACTORS

Prime - Bendix, Frame - McDonnell, Guidance - Bendix,Sperry, Propulsion - Allegany. Automatic loading system - GE

SPECIFICATIONS

Length - abt 30 ft., Diameter - abt 30 in., Launch weight - 7,000 lbs. (booster alone weighs 4,000 lbs.). Guidance - radar, Warhead - nuclear or HE, Propulsion - solid (first stage), ramjet (second stage).

PERFORMANCE

Range - more than 65 nautical miles. Speed - abt Mach 2.5. Ceiling - extremely high altitude.

DEPLOYMENT

Aboard cruisers U.S.S. GALVESTON, U.S.S. LITTLE ROCK, U.S.S. OKLAHOMA CITY, U.S.S. ALBANY, U.S.S. COLUMBUS, U.S.S. CHICAGO, and the nuclear-powered U.S.S. LONG BEACH.

USAGE

During the Vietnam War a classified number of TALOS missiles were used. Only once, that I have been able to locate in my research, was it used SAM. In 1972 President Nixon ordered that all North Vietnamese ports be mined. On May 9, Navy A-6 Intruder aircraft sowed minefields to block the ports at Haiphong, Hon Gai, Cam Pha, Thanh Hoa, Vinh, Quang Khe, and Dong Hoi, effectively sealing the North from its major means of supply, all ships had until May 11 to exit the waters - when the mines became armed. As U.S. Navy aircraft were proceeding to Haiphong harbor the RED CROWN a surveillance ship detected the approach of Mig fighters. The guided missile cruiser U.S.S.CHICAGO, supporting the operation, engaged the group of Mig fighters with TALOS. One Mig was downed at a range of 48 miles and the remaining aircraft turned away, allowing the U. S. Navy attack aircraft to safely complete their mining operations. I found one reference that indicated that TALOS was also used surface to surface as a anti-fire control radar weapon by the OKLAHOMA CITY, CHICAGO, and perhaps the LONG BEACH.

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Copyright © 1997
This Page was created by Paul O. Dunlap, Friday, May 30, 1997
Most recent revision Saturday, February 5,2000.
Color picture courtesy of National Geographic Society, BW picture from 1967 Little Rock Cruise Book. Other information: See - Spacecraft And Missiles of the World, 1966, by William E. Howard & James Baar; Air warfare in the Missile Age, 1985, by Lon O. Noreen, Jr.; Missiles and the Revolution in Warfare, 1962, by Nels A. Parson, Jr.