Snark
Missile · USA
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.
Credit: © Mark Wade
American intercontinental subsonic cruise missile. Developed 1946-1959; deployed only briefly in 1961 before being made obsolete by ICBM's. The control and navigation technology developed for it during the 1950's provided the basis for later Northrop navigation systems used in strategic ballistic missiles.
In March 1946 the USAAF awarded Northrop development contracts for project MX-775, covering the subsonic Snark and supersonic Boojum long-range cruise missiles (the names derived from Lewis Carroll – back then everyone had a better sense of humor). Tests of the tail-less aerodynamic design began in April 1951. In the meantime the USAF had decided it wanted the Snark to be an intercontinental range cruise missile, and a much larger version of the missile began test in August 1953. The program was dogged with problems in getting the launch right, with the engines, the guidance, with everything – leading Cape Canaveral wags to refer to the ‘Snark infested waters' off the test center. Replacing the planned J71 engine with the J57 solved some of the problems. Flight tests with the stellar-inertial navigation system began in November 1955. However the ‘precision' system could not be made to work properly, with the CEP of test missiles being 20 miles (one errant Snark was only found in the Brazilian rain forest 30 years later). Small consolation was found on one mission when the missile was declared to have the missed the target (off Ascension Island) by 4.7 miles. But it turned out the inertial system was accurate – the island was mislocated on British naval charts. By the time missile had reached an acceptable reliability and performance in December 1959, the USAF was gearing up for deployment of the first Atlas ICBM's, which rendered Snark completely obsolete. Nevertheless one Snark wing went into operational service at Presque Isle, Maine with 30 missiles, serving as a tiny portion of the US subsonic deterrent from February to June 1961.
As was the case of the much more ambitious Navaho, development of missiles in the 1950's was mainly paced by navigation technology. By the time the inertial systems were ready for subsonic missiles, they were also ready for ballistic missiles which made the cruise missiles obsolete. Northrop's main heritage from the program was its electronics division, which produced inertial navigation systems for USAF programs for decades to come.
Development Cost $: 400.000 million. Recurring Price $: 9.233 million in 1961 dollars. Flyaway Unit Cost$: 1.468 million in 1955 dollars. Maximum range: 10,200 km (6,300 mi). Number Standard Warheads: 1. Standard warhead: W39. Warhead yield: 3,750 KT. Boost Propulsion: Solid rocket. Cruise Thrust: 66.600 kN (14,972 lbf). Cruise Thrust: 6,800 kgf. Maximum speed: 990 kph (610 mph). Initial Operational Capability: 1960. Total Number Built: 30. Total Production Built: 30.
More at: Snark.
Subtopics
- MX-775 American intercontinental cruise missile.
- Boojum Intercontinental supersonic cruise missile. A follow-on to the Snark that was Northrop's competitor with the North American Navaho. Never reached development stage and no details available. Name obviously derived from the punch line of Lewis Carroll's poem: "...for the Snark was a Boojum, you see..."
Related
- Family
- ICCM, US Cruise Missiles
- Country
- USA
- Launch Sites
- Cape Canaveral, Cape Canaveral LA, Cape Canaveral LC2, Cape Canaveral LC1
- Stages
- ABL Snark JATO
- Agency
- Northrop
Photo Gallery
Snark
Credit: © Mark Wade
Chronology
118 events
1950 December 21
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775. FAILURE: Failure.1951 March 8
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1951 April 16
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1951 May 8
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1951 May 24
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1951 June 26
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1951 July 17
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1951 August 8
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1951 August 21
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1951 August 30
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1951 September 25
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1951 October 2
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1951 October 16
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1951 October 24
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1951 November 15
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1951 November 29
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1951 December 14
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1952 January 25
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1952 February 1
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1952 February 20
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1952 March 28
Launch Site: Holloman. Launch Complex: Holloman SLED. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1952 August 29
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LA. Launch Pad: LA?. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1952 October 1
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LA. Launch Pad: LA?. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1952 October 30
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LA. Launch Pad: LA?. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1952 November 26
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LA. Launch Pad: LA?. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1952 December 19
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LA. Launch Pad: LA?. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1953 February 6
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LA. Launch Pad: LA?. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1953 March 10
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LA. Launch Pad: LA?. LV Family: Snark. Launch Vehicle: MX-775.1953 August 6
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LA. Launch Pad: LA?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.- Test mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). First test flight N-69A version of Snark..
1953 October 15
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LA. Launch Pad: LA?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1954 February 2
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LA. Launch Pad: LA?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1954 February 18
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC2. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1954 April 26
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC2. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1954 June 3
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LA. Launch Pad: LA?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1954 July 21
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LA. Launch Pad: LA?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1954 September 21
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LA. Launch Pad: LA?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.- Test mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). First test flight N-69B version of Snark..
1954 October 12
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LA. Launch Pad: LA?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1954 November 12
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LA. Launch Pad: LA?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1954 December 10
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LA. Launch Pad: LA?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1955 January 13
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1955 February 10
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC2. Launch Vehicle: Snark.- Test mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). First test flight N-69C version of Snark..
1955 April 6
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1955 April 26
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC2. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1955 May 13
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1955 July 13
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC2. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1955 August 9
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1955 October 26
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1955 November 26
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1955 December 9
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1955 December 16
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.- Test mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). USAF Northrop Snark launched from Cape Canaveral on 2,000-mile flight..
1956 January 27
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1956 February 8
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1956 February 17
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1956 July 10
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1956 July 26
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1956 August 31
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1956 September 13
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1956 September 26
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1956 October 2
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.- Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). Full-scale test version of the Snark guided missile (XSM62) successfully recovered for the first time after a flight from Cape Canaveral..
1956 October 31
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1956 November 14
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC2. Launch Pad: LC2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.- Test mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). First test flight N-69D version of Snark..
1956 December 5
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark. FAILURE: Failure.1956 December 20
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC2. Launch Pad: LC2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1957 January 11
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1957 January 23
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1957 February 5
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1957 February 18
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1957 March 12
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1957 March 13
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.- Test mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). First test flight N-69D version of Snark with inertial guidance..
1957 April 15
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1957 April 16
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1957 May 3
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark. FAILURE: Failure.1957 May 28
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1957 June 20
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Vehicle: Snark. FAILURE: Failure.- Test mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 0 km (0 mi). First test flight N-69E version of Snark..
1957 July 17
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1957 August 16
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1957 August 27
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1957 September 19
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1957 October 1
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC2. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1957 October 31
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.- Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). Snark intercontinental missile launched from Cape Canaveral first flew 5,000 miles, to a target near Ascension Island..
1957 November 20
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1957 December 5
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1958 January 25
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1958 February 14
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1958 March 8
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1958 April 3
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1958 May 6
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1958 May 28
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1958 June 27
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC2. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1958 August 25
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC2. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1958 August 30
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1958 September 19
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC2. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1958 October 23
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1958 November 8
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1958 December 11
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1958 December 16
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1959 February 12
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1959 March 10
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1959 April 6
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.- Operational test - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). First operational test flight of Snark..
1959 April 21
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1959 May 5
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1959 May 26
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1959 July 2
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1959 September 25
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1959 November 6
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC2. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1959 December 11
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC2. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1959 December 16
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1960 February 12
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1960 March 3
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC2. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1960 April 6
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC2. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1960 May 16
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1960 June 16
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1960 July 8
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.1960 August 26
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.- Category IIE-7, Sta12 operational test launch - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi).
1960 September 26
Launch Site: Cape Canaveral. Launch Complex: Cape Canaveral LC1. Launch Pad: LC1/2?. Launch Vehicle: Snark.- Category IIE-8, Sta12 operational test launch - . Nation: USA. Agency: USAF SAC. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi).