| Hermes A-3 | ||
Prototype of a single-stage liquid propellant tactical Army missile. Two versions test flown but abandoned in favour of the Redstone in-house design. Historical Essay © Andreas Parsch In late 1947, the U.S. Army established preliminary characteristics for the Hermes A-3 program, calling for a liquid-fueled rocket-powered surface-to-surface missile to carry a 450 kg (1000 lb) warhead to 240 km (150 miles) with an accuracy of 60 m (200 ft) CEP. In early 1948, the designation SSM-G-8 was assigned, but the project progressed very slowly in the first years. This was mainly because of frequent changes in the requirements, which repeatedly necessitated a complete redesign of the projected XSSM-G-8 missile. However, the Hermes A-3 program accelerated somewhat in 1951, when it was split into the RV-A-8 Hermes A-3A interim test vehicle and the SSM-A-16 (briefly SSM-G-16) Hermes A-3B operational missile with a W-5 nuclear warhead (47 kT). The first flight attempt of an RV-A-8 failed in March 1953, but the second test succeeded in June that year. Until January 1954, a total of seven Hermes A-3As were launched, but only two flights were fully successful. Nevertheless, the RV-A-8's reliable (for its time) high-performace liquid-fueled rocket engine and its inertial guidance system significantly advanced the state-of-the-art in ballistic missile design. Although the Hermes A-3 program was reduced to a pure research effort in June 1953, six XSSM-A-16 Hermes A-3B missiles were launched between May and November 1954. However, only one of these (in October) was fully successful. The XSSM-A-16, originally designed as the prototype for the operational missile, was of similar design but slightly larger than the RV-A-8, and featured a further improved radio/inertial guidance system. The Hermes A-3B was actually the last surviving element of the Hermes program, and the latter was finally terminated at the end of 1954. Although Hermes did not result in any operational missile, the Army's successful SSM-A-14/PGM-11 Redstone and SSM-A-27/MGM-29 Sergeant missiles owed much to the technology studied and tested during the Hermes program. Manufacturer: GE. Launches: 13. Failures: 1. Success Rate: 92.31%. First Launch Date: 1953-03-13. Last Launch Date: 1954-11-16. Launch data is: complete. Apogee: 30 km (18 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 80.000 kN (17,984 lbf). Total Mass: 3,800 kg (8,300 lb). Core Diameter: 1.02 m (3.34 ft). Total Length: 8.70 m (28.50 ft). Model: Hermes A-3A. Year: 1953. Family: Scud. Country: USA. Department of Defence Designation: RV-A-8. Alternate Designation: SSM-G-8.
Manufacturer: GE. Apogee: 30 km (18 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 80.400 kN (18,075 lbf). Total Mass: 3,780 kg (8,330 lb). Core Diameter: 1.02 m (3.34 ft). Total Length: 8.74 m (28.67 ft). Span: 2.29 m (7.51 ft). Maximum range: 105 km (65 mi). Boost Propulsion: Liquid propellant. Model: Hermes A-3B. Year: 1954. Family: Scud. Country: USA. Department of Defence Designation: SSM-A-16.
Manufacturer: GE. Apogee: 37 km (22 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 100.500 kN (22,593 lbf). Total Mass: 5,370 kg (11,830 lb). Core Diameter: 1.19 m (3.90 ft). Total Length: 10.16 m (33.33 ft). Span: 2.54 m (8.33 ft). Maximum range: 105 km (65 mi). Number Standard Warheads: 1. Standard warhead: W-5. Standard warhead yield: 47 KT. Boost Propulsion: Liquid propellant. Hermes A-3 Chronology 1944 December 1 - Launch Vehicle: Hermes B-1, Hermes A-1, Hermes A-3.
Bibliography and Further Reading
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