PGM-11 Redstone Tactical Version

PGM-11 Redstone Tactical Version. . The Redstone program proved to be a bone of contention between the Army and Air Force due to their different ideas of nuclear warfare. The Army favored using small warheads on mobile missiles as tactical battlefield weapons while the Air Force, which was responsible for the ICBM program, wanted large cross-continental missiles that could strike Soviet targets and rapidly cripple the USSR's infrastructure and ability to wage war. On 2, June 1958, the first overland firing of a large U.S. ballistic missile by combat troops occurred when a Redstone was successfully launched by the 40th Field Artillery Missile Group (Heavy) at White Sands. Other tests at White Sands included static firings and other full launches., With the arrival of newer solid-fueled missiles that could be stored and not require fueling before launch, Redstone was rendered obsolete and production ended in 1961. The 40th Artillery Group was deactivated in February 1964 and 46th Artillery Group was deactivated in June 1964, as Redstone missiles were replaced by the Pershing missile in the U.S. Army arsenal. All Redstone missiles and equipment deployed to Europe were returned to the United States by the third quarter of 1964. In October 1964, the Redstone missile was ceremonially retired from active service at Redstone Arsenal., Redstone was capable of flights from 57 to 201 miles. It consisted of a thrust unit for powered flight and a missile body for overall missile control and payload delivery on target. During powered flight, Redstone burned a fuel mixture of 25 percent water-75 percent ethyl alcohol with liquid oxygen used as the oxidizer. The missile body consisted of an aft unit containing the instrument compartment, and the warhead unit containing the payload compariment and the radar altimeter fuze. The missile body was separated from the thrust unit 20-30 seconds after the termination of powered flight, as determined by the preset range to target. The body continued on a controlled ballistic trajectory to the target impact point. The thrust unit continued on its own uncontrolled ballistic trajectory, impacting short of the designated target. The nuclear-armed Redstone carried the W39, either a MK 39Y1 Mod 1 or MK 39Y2 Mod 1, warhead with a yield of 3.8 megatons.