SSM-N-6 Rigel
The SSM-N-6 Rigel was a proposed United States Navy submarine-launched, nuclear-capable ramjet-powered cruise missile.
| SSM-N-6 Rigel | |
|---|---|
| Type | Cruise missile |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| Used by | United States Navy |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Grumman |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 23,800 pounds (10,800 kg) (with boosters) 13,000 pounds (5,900 kg) (w/o boosters) |
| Length | 46 feet 1 inch (14.05 m) |
| Diameter | 3.75 feet (1.14 m) |
| Warhead | 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg) such as the W5 warhead |
| Engine | 2 × Marquardt 28 ramjet 6,000 lbf (27 kN) 4 × booster rockets 8,000 lbf (36 kN) |
| Wingspan | 13 feet 4 inches (4.06 m) |
Operational range | 500 nautical miles (926 km) |
| Maximum speed | Mach 2 |
Launch platform | submarine |
Etymology
The Rigel missile was named after Rigel, the brightest star in the constellation Orion.[1]
Development
In 1946 the US Navy sanctioned development of the Rigel missile as a sub-launched supersonic weapon to attack enemy shores, in parallel with development of the subsonic SSM-N-8 Regulus. The SSM-N-6 was to be launched by means of 4 rocket boosters and a catapult, with two ramjets for the cruise mode of the flight.
Several Rigel test articles were built to test the planned ramjet system for the Rigel missile. They had a single ramjet and a single rocket booster. Subsequently, scaled-down Flight Test Vehicles (FTVs) were built with a configuration similar to the full-scale missile, and the first FTV launch occurred in May 1950. Unfortunately, plans to build the SSM-N-6 missiles were cancelled because the failure of FTV flight tests, but also due to the fact that Rigel posed a problem for submariners by requiring a longer launch rail on submarines than the SSM-N-8 Regulus.[2]
See also
References
- Yenne, Bill (2018). A Complete History of U.S. Cruise Missiles. Forest Lake, MN: Specialty Press. p. 61. ISBN 978-1-58007-256-4.
- "Grumman SSM-N-6 Rigel". www.designation-systems.net.