I would like to talk a bit about the fixed US SAM systems...
In 1944 (!!!) the Bell Labs. started the conceptual development of the
MIM-3 Nike Ajax system.
Douglas Aircraft was responsible for the missile, while Western Electric for the others.
They envisioned the development of the simplest SAM system.
Beside the target acquisition radar, two similar but independent parabolic antenna would track the target and the command guided missile.
1, TTR (Target Tracking Radar)
3, TAQR (Target Acquisition Radar)
4, MTR (Missile Tracking Radar)
5, Tracking Van
6, Computer system building
7, Fire Control Van
8, Power generator building
After 10 years of development, the 50km range Nike Ajax SAM system fielding started...
... first around the major Metropolises,
1954; Baltimore (7*), Chicago (22), New York (19), Philadelphia (12), San Francisco (12), and Washington (13)
1955; Boston (12), Detroit (15), Hanford (4), Los Angeles (16), Milwaukee (8), Niagara Falls (4), Norfolk (9), Pittsburgh (12), Seattle (11)
1956, Bridgeport (6), Buffalo (4), Cleveland (8), Hartford (6), Providence (7)
... during the second round, the SAC AFB's received SAM defense.
1956; Fairchild AFB (4)
1957; Ellsworth AFB (4), Loring AFB (4), Travis AFB (4)
*number of fielded batteries are in the bracketsAlready in 1953, before the actual fielding of the Ajax system started, the question surfaced, how to fight against multiple bomber formations with a single channel (capable of guiding one missile against one target parallel) SAM system.
The twofold solution was the development of the increased range (155km), and nuclear warhead (2kt, 20kt, 40kt) equipped MIM-14 Nike Hercules missile.
Ajax at the background, Hercules at the forefront. In 1958, utilizing the expanded firing zone, less unit was received the new
MIM-14 Nike Hercules missiles.
Baltimore (5), Boston (3), Bridgeport (1), Buffalo (1), Chicago (9), Cleveland (3), Detroit (6), Hanford (1), Hartford (2), Los Angeles (9), Milwaukee (3), New York (10), Niagara Falls (2), Norfolk (3), Philadelphia (5), Pittsburgh (6), Providence (2), San Francisco (5), Seattle (3), Washington (5), Ellsworth AFB (1), Fairchild AFB (1), Loring AFB (2), Travis AFB (2)
Four new batteries were set up in Greenland, around the Thule AFB.
The medium sized, strategically important cities also received SAM defense...
1959; Anchorage (3), Fairbanks (5), Kansas (4), Minneapolis (4)
1960; Cincinnati (4), Dallas-Fort Worth (4), St. Louis (4)
1961; Oahu � Hawaii (4)
1962; Miami (5)
... and further SAC bases received SAM belt.
1960; Barksdale AFB (2), Bergstrom AFB (2), Dyess AFB (2), Lincoln AFB (2), Offutt AFB (2), Robins AFB (2), Turner AFB (2), Walker AFB (2).
From 1956, development started to make the Nike Hercules capable of defeating jamming formations.
The
Improved Nike Hercules system upgrade added two new radar sets to the original sites.
1, TTR (Target Tracking Radar)
2, TRR (Target Ranging Radar)3, LOPAR (Low Power Acquisition Radar)
4, MTR (Missile Tracking Radar)
5, Tracking Van
6, Computer system building
7, Fire Control Van
8, Power generator building
9, HIPAR (High Power Acquisition Radar) building
10, HIPAR (High Power Acquisition Radar) antennaThe TRR tracked the jammer formation in an unconventional 2cm wavelenght, while the HIPAR burned through the jamming with 10MW (!!!) impulses.
The upgrade of the batteries started from 1961, but due to the astronomical cost of the HIPAR, not all sites received it.
From 1960, the development targeted defeating Tactical Ballistic Missiles.
The
Nike Hercules ATBM upgrade meant the changing of HIPAR beam, to cover the airspace above the site.
Upgrades of the selected units started from 1963.
This year seen the largest number of SAM units in the USA (77 Nike Ajax, 134 Nike Hercules, and 8 HAWK batteries).
As the Soviet threat was shifted towards ICBM's from bomber formations, the downsizing of the units started.
In 1964, all the surviving Nike Ajax systems were removed from service.
In 1973, all Hercules units, except those around Miami and Anchorage, were removed from service.
In 1979, Miami and Anchorage sites were also decommissioned.
