LIM-49 Spartan
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The LIM-49 Spartan was one of McDonnell Douglas developed missiles for defense against ballistic intercontinental missiles . The anti-ballistic missile used by the US Army thus belonged to the ABM systems . A special feature of the Nike Zeus / Spartan was that it carried a nuclear warhead. The advantage of the nuclear warhead was that, due to the large effective radius, the target did not have to be hit directly as with conventional warheads. However, high-altitude nuclear weapon explosions generate strong electromagnetic pulses that interfere with electronic devices (such as computers). This severely restricted the scope of application of the LIM-49.
History and variants
Nike Zeus A
The Nike Zeus A (originally called "Improved Nike Hercules") was a direct further development of the Nike Hercules , with the essential components of the missile as well as the radar and ground installations being taken over. The Zeus A continued to use the Nike Hercules' W-31 nuclear warhead. The use of a newly developed, more powerful solid fuel booster and larger fins on the missile made it possible to increase speed and range, although the peak height remained almost unchanged. This made the system suitable for the defense against high-speed and high-flying bomber formations, but could only be used to a very limited extent against ballistic missiles .
The first flight in the final configuration took place in March 1960. However, the program was finally discontinued shortly afterwards, and the knowledge and technologies gained were transferred to the Zeus B program.
Nike Zeus B (XLIM-49A)
Even with the start of Sputnik 1 in 1957, it became apparent that the performance parameters of the Zeus A system no longer met the requirements and that it had hardly any growth potential. Since, as a result of the so-called Sputnik shock , a directive of the US Department of Defense that only allowed the US Army to possess missiles with a range of a maximum of 320 km, the development soon concentrated on a real exo-atmospheric interceptor missile.
The Nike Zeus B was a newly developed two-stage missile in conjunction with the TX-135 solid fuel booster that had already been tested in the Zeus A. The floor installations and the control system were also taken over by Nike Hercules . Since the missile was supposed to operate in the extra-atmospheric space, large fins were dispensed with, an additional third stage was used instead.
The first flight in the three-stage configuration took place in September 1961. In July 1962 it was possible for the first time to intercept a ballistic target with the re-entry body of an "Atlas" ICBM . In May 1963, Kwajalein intercepted a satellite in a 200 km orbit . As a result, Zeus B systems with sharp nuclear warheads were in readiness on Kwajalein until June 1966 , which should be used against Soviet satellites if necessary.
Nike Zeus EX (LIM-49A Spartan)
The Nike Zeus B continued to use the mechanical radar systems of the Nike Hercules for target acquisition and control, with their limitations. In this way, only one target could be captured and attacked at a time, which greatly reduced the effectiveness of the system. In addition, the aboveground launch systems themselves were at risk from attacks. It was then decided to revise the entire system so that in the future phased array radar devices with electronic beam swiveling would be used and the rockets would be launched from underground silos . This program was called "Nike Zeus EX".
As part of this revision, the first and second stages of the missile were replaced by more powerful variants. This made it possible to almost double the range and peak height. The W-51 thermonuclear warhead was replaced by a W-71 warhead with a TNT equivalent of 5 Mt. It was now possible to intercept ballistic missiles far outside the atmosphere. In 1967, a contract was signed with Western Electric and McDonnell Douglas as subcontractors for the production of the systems now called LGM-49A Spartan.
Technical specifications
| Data overview of the variants | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| index | Nike Zeus A | Nike Zeus B XLIM-49A |
Nike Zeus EX LIM-49A Spartan |
 Nike Zeus A |
 Nike Zeus B (XLIM-49A)
|
 LIM-49A Spartan
Identification feature: LIM-49A first and second stages have the same diameter. |
|
| Basic data | |||
| function | Anti-missile missile | ||
| Manufacturer | Western Electric | Western Electric | Western Electric / McDonnell Douglas |
| First flight | March 1960 | September 1961 | March 1968 |
| development | from 1955 | from 1957 | from 1967 |
| Further features | |||
| Engine | |||
| 1st stage | Solid matter booster Thiokol TX-135 | Solid matter booster Thiokol TX-135 | Solids booster Thiokol TX-500 |
| 2nd stage | Solid propulsion "Zeus A" (?) | Solid propulsion Thiokol TX-238 | Solid propulsion Thiokol TX-454 |
| 3rd stage | - | Solid propulsion unit Thiokol TX-239 | Solid propulsion unit Thiokol TX-239 |
| Combat weight | 4,980 kg | 10,350 kg | 13,100 kg |
| length | 13.50 m | 14.73 m | 16.80 m |
| diameter | 0.91 m | 0.91 m | 1.09 m |
| Wingspan | 2.98 m | 2.44 m | 2.98 m |
| speed | > Do 4 | ||
| Range | 320 km | 400 km | 740 km |
| Service ceiling | 50 km | 280 km | 560 km |
| Warhead | W-31 ( nuclear , 20 kt) | W-50 ( thermonuclear , 400 kt) | W-71 (thermonuclear, 5 Mt) |
| Target detection | radar-guided command steering | ||
| trigger | Radio command | ||
| Weapon platforms | fixed rocket position | ||
| Lists on the subject | |||
Stationing and end of the program
As part of the Safeguard program, an ABM position called "Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex" was set up near Nekoma, North Dakota , which was supposed to protect the Minuteman base near Grand Forks Air Force Base. This complex contained 30 Spartan and 70 Sprint missiles, the associated surveillance radar systems were stationed at Cavalier, North Dakota. However, the Safeguard project was terminated by the US American Congress in the course of the SALT I negotiations and for cost reasons, and it was decided to close the ABM position just one day after its official commissioning on October 1, 1975.
Start of a LIM-49 "Spartan"
“Safeguard” surveillance radar at Cavalier
“Safeguard” target tracking and fire control radar
literature
- Bill Gunston: The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rockets and Missile. Salamander Books, London 1979, ISBN 0-517-26870-1 .
Web links
- Nike Zeus in the Encyclopedia Astronautica (English)
- LIM-49A in Directory of US Military Rockets and Missiles
- Spartan in the Encyclopedia Astronautica (English)
- unofficial website of the "Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex" (English)