| |
|
Country: USA
Type: ASM
Introduction: 1959 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The AGM-12 Bullpup is an air-to-ground missile which was used on the A-4 Skyhawk, A-6 Intruder and F-4 Phantom among others. It has been superseded by more advanced armaments in American service. The Bullpup was the first mass-produced air-surface command guided missile, first deployed by the United States Navy in 1959 as the ASM-N-7 until it was redesignated AGM-12B in 1962. It was developed as a result of experiences in the Korean War where US airpower had great difficulty in destroying targets which required precise aiming and were often heavily defended, such as bridges.
The Bullpup was roll-stabilized and visually guided by the pilot or weapons operator using a tracer on the back of the missile to track the weapon in flight while using a control joystick to steer it toward the target using radio signals. It was initially powered by a solid fuel rocket motor, and carried a 250 lb (110 kg) warhead. Later versions of the missile included upgrades such as a larger 1000 lb (450 kg) warhead, improved rocket motors, and improved guidance, and in one late version, the ability to carry a nuclear warhead.
|
|
| General Information |
| Developed by |
USA |
| Deployed by |
Argentina, Australia, Denmark, Greece, Israel, Norway, Taiwan, Turkey, UK, USA |
| Development Year |
1953 |
| Deployment Year |
1959(A), 1963(B) |
| Platform |
A-4 Skyhawk,A-5 Vigilante,A-6 Intruder,A-7 Corsair,F-4 Phantom,F-8 Crusader,F-100 Super Saber,F-105 Thunderchief,P-3 Orion,Sea Vixen,Buccaneer |
| Number manufactured |
22,100(Bullpup-A),4,600(Bullpup-B) |
| Contractor |
Lockheed Martin Electronics and Missiles,Maxson Electronics(second source) |
| Dimensions and Performance |
|
Length |
3.20m(Bullpup A), 4.14m(Bullpup B) |
|
Body Diameter |
30.5cm, 45.0cm |
|
Wing/Fin span |
0.94m, 1.22m |
|
Launch Weight |
258kg, 812kg |
|
Range |
7km, 18.5km |
|
Speed |
Mach 1.8 |
| Components |
|
Propulsion |
liquid propellant |
|
Engine |
Thiokol LR-62RM2 storable liquid fuel rocket motor |
|
Warhead |
113kg HE(A), 454kg HE or 15kT nuclear (W45)(B) |
|
Guidance |
radio-command |
|
