The RIM-2 Terrier
This a two-stage medium-range naval surface-to-surface missile and was the earliest SAM to equip the USN. It underwent major upgrades during its service life, beginning as a beam-riding guidance with a 10 nautical mile range (19km) at a speed of Mach 1.8, and ending as a semi-active radar homing guidance with a range of 40nmi (74km) at speeds as high as Mach 3.
The Terrier weighed 3,000lbs (1,400kg)[1,180lbs for the missile and 1,820lbs for the booster]. It was 27ft (8.2m) long, with a diameter of 13.5in (34cm) and was normally fitted with a 218lb (99kg) controlled-fragmentation warhead or it could be fitted with a 1kt W45 nuclear warhead.
When the Terrier was fired it could be followed by its corkscrew contrail, as it progressed to the center of the beam. Reception of its location in the beam was accomplished by a small "Turn-style" antenna at the rear of the missile, this antenna also received the commands for detonation, and self destruct. The self destruct command was sent a few milliseconds after the detonation command. Its HT-3 variant as a Semi-Active homing missile, it followed the reflected energy from the target; however if jamming was encountered it would passively home in on the jamming signal.
The RIM-2E introduced semi-active radar homing, for greater effectiveness against low-flying targets. The final version, the RIM-2F, used a new motor which doubled effective range to 40nmi (74 km).
The RIM-2E introduced semi-active radar homing, for greater effectiveness against low-flying targets. The final version, the RIM-2F, used a new motor which doubled effective range to 40 nmi (74 km).
The Terrier was the primary missile system of most US Navy cruisers and guided missile frigates built during the 1960s. It could be installed on much smaller ships than the much larger and longer-ranged RIM-8 Talos. A Terrier installation typically consisted of the Mk 10 twin-arm launcher with a 40-round rear-loading magazine, but some ships had extended magazines with 60 or 80 rounds, and the installation in BOSTON and CANBERRA used a bottom-loading magazine of 72 rounds.
On April 19, 1972, a Terrier missile fired by USS STERETT shot down a North Vietnamese Air Force MiG-17F in the Battle of Dong Hoi.
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The reason that the American Army does so well in wartime, is that war is chaos, and the American Army practices chaos on a daily basis.
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