AGM-62 Walleye
| AGM-62 Walleye | |
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| General Information | |
| Designation: | AGM-62 Walleye |
| Type: | electro-optically guided glide bomb |
| Country of origin: | United States |
| Manufacturer: | Martin Marietta , Hughes Aircraft |
| Development: | 1963 (Walleye I), 1968 (Walleye II) |
| Technical specifications | |
| Combat weight: | 510 kg (Walleye I), 1060 kg (Walleye II) |
| Length: | 3450 mm (Walleye I), 4040 mm (Walleye II) |
| Diameter: | 318 mm (Walleye I), 457 mm (Walleye II) |
| Span: | 1150 mm (Walleye I), 1300 mm (Walleye II) |
| Range: | 1.8–65 km, depending on the dropping height |
| Furnishing | |
| Warhead: | Highly explosive, different weights between 250 pounds . and 2000 pounds. (113 and 907 kg), a W72 mission warhead is also possible. |
| Steering: | Electro-optical (TV), ERDL versions with data link |
| Weapon platforms: | McDonnell F-4 , Grumman A-6 , Douglas A-4 , Vought A-7E , McDonnell Douglas F / A-18 |
| List of bombs by country of origin | |
The AGM-62 Walleye , developed by Martin Marietta in 1963, is a family of electro-optically guided glide bombs . The original concept was developed back in 1960 at the Naval Air Warfare Center in China Lake.
It is known as an air-to-surface missile or AGM, although it should actually be called GBU ( Guided Bomb Unit ) because it is a non-powered glide bomb. The AGM-62 was intended as a replacement for the AGM-12 Bullpup . Due to its design, the range of the AGM-62 depends heavily on the altitude and the speed of the carrier system .
history
The AGM-62 Walleye was commissioned by the United States Navy from 1967 and the United States Air Force (in small numbers). From 1968 the AGM-62 was used in the Vietnam War. There and in later operations, it was mainly used against static targets such as buildings and bridges. It proved to be very effective, so of the 68 thrown (1968) Walleyes 65 hit their target. But the walleye was not without its flaws, this was noticeable when aiming at targets. Because the electro-optical sensor needed very high-contrast images in order to be able to lock onto a target. If this was not the case, and a target was in the shadow or it was just dawning , a target could not or only with great difficulty be recorded. This problem was not fixed, although a new seeker head was installed.
A total of 131 AGM-62s were dropped during Operation Desert Storm . These were used by A-7E and McDonnell Douglas F / A-18 . It was also the last use of the AGM-62. However, it was subsequently retired with the A-7E Corsair in 1991 (according to other sources not until 1995) and finally replaced by the AGM-65 Maverick . Up to then approx. 5000 AGM-62 Walleye I and II were built in approx. 39 variations, which only differed in details. Although much better air-to-surface missiles are already available, AGM-62s are still in the depots of the US armed forces as war reserves.
Walleye
The Walleye was designed as a ' Fire and Forget ' weapon in order to circumvent the weaknesses of the AGM-12 Bullpup, where the pilot still had to manually steer the rocket into the target. A Mk 83 bomb was taken, fitted with a TV homing system at the top. The stern was provided with 4 delta wings and a generator. The generator was driven by a dynamic pressure turbine, the outer end of which is a small propeller. He thus supplied the AGM-62 with electricity.
Walleye ER & ER / DL
The Walleye ER (ER for E xtended R ange, German: Advanced Range) consists of the same components as the Walleye. With her, the wings of the walleye were enlarged to allow her a longer flight time. The Walleye ER / DL is like the ER variant, only it has been extended by a D ata L ink (German: data connection). This was designed to be used in conjunction with the AN / AWW-9 data nacelle. This enables the exchange of target information for possible corrections between the weapon and the data gondola before and after the weapon is dropped.
Walleye II "Fat Albert"
The Walleye II, developed in 1968, is a Walleye in which instead of a Mk 82, the much heavier Mk 84 is used as a warhead. As a result, the Walleye II was not only larger in length and diameter, the wings that it needed for gliding were also adapted. It was built by Hughes Aircraft as a subcontractor to Martin Marietta from 1973. A year later (1974) she was put into service with the naval aviators of the US Navy.
Like the Walleye, the Walleye II was soon equipped with the ER and the ER / DL kit to improve its performance.
The Walleye II could also be equipped with a W-72 nuclear warhead, which has an explosive force of approx. 600 tons of TNT. This variant only existed for a few years and was taken out of service in 1979.
Walleye II ER / DL DPSK
The Walleye II ER / DL DPSK ( D igital P Hare S hift K eying, German: Digital Phase Modulation) is the final version of the AGM-62. This modification is intended to make the data connection between the AGM-62 and the AN / AWW-9 less susceptible to attempts at interference. Not only Walleye II, but also the Walleye I variants were converted.
Users
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United States : With A-4, A-6E, A-7E, F-4D / E, F-18A / B / C / D -
Iran : With F-4D / E -
Israel : With A-4E / H and F-4E
Similar models
Web links
- www.designation-systems.net
- www.nationalmuseum.af.mil
- Walleye II on fas.org
- short presentation of the walleye on YouTube