[sci.military] Information: Shrike

megazone@wpi.WPI.EDU (MEGAZONE 23) (02/09/91)

From: megazone@wpi.WPI.EDU (MEGAZONE 23)

Information: Shrike

>From The Encyclopedia of World Air Power, Cresent Books, 1980.
Type: air-to-surface anti-radiation missile
Powerplant: one Rocketdyne Mk 39 Mod 7 or Aerojet Mk 53 solid-proplellant 
rocket
Performance: crusing speed Mach 2 or 1,520mph (24311km/h) at sea level; maximum
range at least 10 miles (16km) and possible 25 miles (40km)
Weight: 390lb (177kg)
Dimensions: span 3ft (91cm); length 10ft (3.05m); diameter 7.9in (20cm)
Warhead: 145-lb (66-kg) fragmentation
Operators: Israel, US Air Force, US Navy

"The Texas Instruments AGM-45 Shrike, based partially on the Raytheon Sparrow
airframe, was the first US anti-radiation missile (ARM). Development began in
1961 with the aim of countering Russian surface-to-air missiles by destroying
their search and track radars. The missile entered service with the US Navy's
carrier-based attack squadrons in 1964 and has also been deployed by the US Air
Force. At least 13 variants have been built, each carrying a passive radiation
seeker tailored to counter a different threat of combination of them.
The missile's seeker locks on to the radar to be attacked, and the weapon is 
then fired. It can either home directly on to the enemy transmitter, or it may
first climb and then dive on to its objective. This latter method allows the 
missile to arrive at the same time as weapons delivered by other aircraft. The 
US Navy uses the Shrike on its McDonnell Douglas A-4 Skyhawk, Grumman A-6
Intruder and Vought A-7 Corsair attack aircraft, but the US Air Force has a 
specialist Shrike-armed defence-suppression force in the form of McDonnell
Douglas F-4G Wild Weasels. The F-4Gs, which are replacing Republic F-105
Thunderchiefs in the role, carry the McDonnell Douglas APR-38 radar homing and
warning system to find and classify targets which are to be attacked with the 
Shrike and other weapons. The APR-38 uses 56 antennas spread over the aircraft
to derive its information.
More than 25,000 Shrikes have been built, and those in service are being up-
dated to improve their performance. The missile is due to be replace eventually
by the Texas Instruments HARM."

>From The US War Machine, Salamander Books, 1983.
Origin: Naval Weapons Center (NWC), with production by TI, USA
Type: Passive homing anti-radiation missile
Propulsion: Rockwell (Rocketdyne) Mk 39 or Aerojet (ATSC) MK 53 (polybutadiene)
or improved Mk 78 (polyurethane, dual-thrust) solid motor
Dimensions: Length 120in (3,05m); body diameter 8in (203mm); span 36in (914mm)
Launch weight: (Approximately, depending on sub-type) 390lb (177kg)
Range: 18 to 25 miles (29 to 40km)
Flight speed: Mach 2
Warhead: Blast/frag, 145lb (66kg), proximity fuze

"Based in part on the Sparrow AAM, this was the first anti-radar missile (ARM)
in the US since World War 2. Originally called ARM and designated ASM-N-10, it
was begun as a project at NOTS (later NWC) in 1961, and in 1962 became AGM-45A.
Production by a consortium headed by Texas Instruments (TI) and Sperry Rand/
Univac began in 1963 and Shrike was in use in SE Asia three years later with 
Wild Weasel F-105Gs and EA-6As. Early experience was disappointing and there
have since been numerous models, identified by suffix numbers, to rectify 
faults or tailor the passive homing head to a new frequency band identified in
the potential hostile inventory. Carried by the US Navy/Marines A-4, A-6, A-7
and F-4, the Air Force F-4, F-105 and EF-111 and the Israeli F-4 and Kfir, 
Shrike is switched on while flying towardsthe target and is fired as soon as
the TI radiation seeker has locked-on. After motor cutoff Shrike flies a bal-
listic path until control system activation. The seeker has a monopulse crystal
video receiver and continually updates the guidance by determining the 
direction or arrival of the hostile radiation, homing the missile into the 
enemy radar with its cruciform centre-body wings driven in "bang/bang" fashion
by a hot-gas system. There were at least 18 sub-types in the AGM-45-1 to -10
families, with over 13 different tailored seeker heads, of which the USAF 
bought 12,863 by 1978 and the Navy a further 6,200. In the Yom Kippur war 
Israel used Shrike tuned to 2965/2900 MHz and 3025/3050 MHz to defeat SA-2 and
SA-3, but was helpless against SA-6. In 1978-81 additional procurement centred
on the -9 and -10 for the USAF to be carried by F-4G and EF-111A platforms,
together with modification kits to euip existing rounds to home on to later SAM
and other radars."

###############################################################################
#  "Calling Garland operator 7G," EVE           Email megazone@wpi.wpi.edu    #
# MEGAZONE, aka DAYTONA, aka BRIAN BIKOWICZ     Bitnet Use a gateway. Sorry.  #
###############################################################################