SAM-N-7 Terrier

The Convair RIM-2 Terrier was a two-stage medium-range naval surface-to-air missile (SAM), and was among the earliest surface-to-air missiles to equip United States Navy ships. It underwent significant upgrades while in service, starting with beam-riding guidance with a range at a speed of Mach 1.8, and ending as a semi-active radar homing system with a range of at speeds as high as Mach 3. It was replaced in service by the RIM-67 Standard ER (SM-1ER).

Terrier has also been used as a sounding rocket.

History

The Terrier was a development of the Bumblebee Project, the United States Navy's effort to develop a surface-to-air missile to provide a middle layer of defense against air attack (between carrier fighters and antiaircraft guns). It was test launched from on January 28, 1953, and first deployed operationally on the s, and in the mid-1950s, with ''Canberra'' being the first to achieve operational status June 15, 1956. Its US Navy designation was SAM-N-7 until 1963, when it was re-designated RIM-2.

For a brief time during the mid-1950s the United States Marine Corps (USMC) had two Terrier battalions equipped with specially modified twin sea launchers for land use that fired the SAM-N-7. The Terrier was the first surface-to-air missile operational with the USMC. The launchers were reloaded by a special vehicle that carried two Terrier reloads.

Initially, the Terrier used radar beam-riding guidance, forward aerodynamic controls, and a conventional warhead. It had a top speed of only Mach 1.8, a range of only , and was only useful against subsonic targets. Originally, the Terrier had a launch thrust of , and weight of . Its original dimensions were a diameter of , a length of , and a fin span of . Cost per missile in 1957 was an estimated $60,000.

Before it was even in widespread service it was seeing major improvements. The RIM-2C, named the Terrier BT-3 (Beam-riding, Tail control, series 3) was introduced in 1958. The forward control fins were replaced with fixed strakes, and the tail became the control surface. The BT-3 also had a new motor, and featured extended range, Mach 3 speed, and better maneuverability. The RIM-2D Terrier BT-3A(N) entered service in 1962 with a W30 1kt nuclear warhead, but all other variants used a 218 lb (99 kg) controlled-fragmentation warhead. The Terrier had 2 versions BT-3(N), and HT-3. only the BT-3A carried the Nuclear Warhead, BT-3A(N). When fired, and after booster separation, you could follow its corkscrew contrail, as it progressed to the center of the beam. Reception of its location in the beam was accomplished by a small "Turn-style" antenna at the rear of the missile, this antenna also received the commands for detonation, and self destruct. The self destruct command was sent a few milliseconds after the detonation command. The HT-3 was a Semi-Active homing missile, it followed the reflected energy from the target; however if jamming was encountered it would passively home in on the jamming signal. The Belknap Class of DLG, re-designated CG also carried the ASROC (Anti Submarine Rocket), which was launched from the same launcher as the Terrier. The Belknap Class had 3 circular magazines in a triangle pattern, The bottom magazine contained the nuclear BT-3A(N) missiles and the Nuclear Anti-Submarine Rocket (ASROC). This was an additional safety feature in that it involved transferring the Nuclear Missile from the bottom ring to the upper ring then to the launcher rails, which entailed many moving steps and time, preventing the accidental loading of a Nuclear Missile from one of the top two magazines.

The RIM-2E introduced semi-active radar homing, for greater effectiveness against low-flying targets. The final version, the RIM-2F, used a new motor which doubled effective range to .

The Terrier was the primary missile system of most US Navy cruisers and guided missile frigates built during the 1960s. It could be installed on much smaller ships than the much larger and longer-ranged RIM-8 Talos. A Terrier installation typically consisted of the Mk 10 twin-arm launcher with a 40-round rear-loading magazine, but some ships had extended magazines with 60 or 80 rounds, and the installation in ''Boston'' and ''Canberra'' used a bottom-loading magazine of 72 rounds.

The French Navy's Masurca missile was developed with some technology provided by the USN from Terrier.

The Terrier was replaced by the extended range RIM-67 Standard missile. The RIM-67 offered the range of the much larger RIM-8 Talos in a missile the size of the Terrier.

Combat service

On April 19, 1972, a Terrier missile fired by shot down a North Vietnamese Air Force MiG-17F in the Battle of Dong Hoi.

Research use

Terrier has also been used, typically as a first stage in a sounding rocket, for conducting high-altitude research. The Terrier can be equipped with various upper stages, like the Asp, the TE-416 Tomahawk (not to be confused with the similarly named BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missile), the Orion, or any of a variety of purpose-built second stages such as Oriole or Malemute. The booster also served as the basis for the MIM-3 Nike Ajax booster, which was slightly larger but otherwise similar, which has also seen widespread use in sounding rockets.

Terrier versions

Operators

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* – after 1957 refit
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** Italian cruiser Andrea Doria (C 553)
** Italian cruiser Caio Duilio (C 554)
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Gallery

File:RIM-2 Terrier.jpg, Early-model Terrier
File:USS Mississippi (EAG-128) fires an SAM-N-7 Terrier missile c1954.jpg, Early Model Terrier launched from test vessel
File:P4Y-2K being shot down by RIM-2 Terrier missile in 1956.jpg, A P4Y-2K drone being shot down by a Terrier, 1956.
File:USS Canberra (CAG-2) Terrier missile launch sequence 1960.jpg, launching a Terrier, 1960.
File:RIM-2 Terrier missiles on USS Providence (CLG-6), 2 May 1962 (NH 98548).jpg, RIM-2 aboard , 1962.
File:USS Constellation (CVA-64) fires RIM-2 1962.jpeg, RIM-2 launch from , 1962.
File:USS Dale (DLG-19) launching a RIM-2 Terrier in April 1964 (K-29715).jpg, Terrier launch from , 1964.

See also

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* RIM-24 Tartar
* Terasca
* Masurca – a related project

References

General Dynamics (Convair) SAM-N-7/RIM-2 Terrier

External links

"US Marines Terrier"
''YouTube'' video

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Cold War nuclear missiles of the United States
Cold War surface-to-air missiles of the United States
Naval surface-to-air missiles
Naval surface-to-air missiles of the United States
Naval weapons of the United States
Nuclear anti-aircraft weapons
Surface-to-air missiles of the United States
Military equipment introduced in the 1950s