AIM-26 Falcon

TheAIM-26 Falconwas a larger, more powerful version of theAIM-4 Falcon air-to-air missilebuilt byHughes.It is the only guided American air-to-air missile with anuclear warheadto be produced; the unguidedAIR-2 Genierocket was also nuclear-armed.

Development

Starting in 1956Hughes Electronicsbegan the development of an enlarged version of theGAR-1D Falconthat would carry anuclear warhead.It was intended to provide a sure kill in attacks onSovietheavybomber aircraft,at a time when guided missiles were not accurate enough to produce high-probability kills with small conventional warheads. The original development was forsemi-active radar homingandheat-seekingversions based on the conventional GAR-1/GAR-2 weapons, under the designationsGAR-5andGAR-6,respectively. The original program was cancelled.

Artwork on warhead of AIM-26A on display at theNational Museum of Naval Aviation.

The program was revived in 1959, now under the nameGAR-11.It entered service in 1961, carried byAir Defense Command F-102 Delta Daggerinterceptors.^[1]It used a radarproximity fuzeandsemi-active radar homing.The GAR-11 used a sub-kiloton (250 ton) yieldW54warhead shared with the"Davy Crockett" M388 recoilless rifle projectile,^[2]rather than the largerW25warhead of theAIR-2 Genie.^[3]

Out of concern for the problems inherent in using nuclear weapons over friendly territory, a conventional version, theGAR-11A,was developed, using a 40 lb (18 kg) explosive warhead.

Conventional warhead

As part of a wider Army/Navy/Air Force renaming project, in 1963 the weapon was redesignatedAIM-26.The nuclear version became theAIM-26A,the conventional model theAIM-26B.From 1970 to 1972 the nuclear warheads of the AIM-26A weapons were rebuilt for the nuclear version of theAGM-62 WalleyeTV guided bomb.

The AIM-26 saw little widespread use in American service, retiring in 1972. The conventional AIM-26B was exported to Switzerland as theHM-55,where it was used on SwissMirage IIISfighters. The AIM-26B was produced underlicense(and modified) in Sweden as theRb 27,armingSaab DrakenJ-35F and 35J fighters. It was retired in 1998. When Finland bought Drakens, the license-manufactured Swedish Falcons were included.

Specifications (GAR-11/AIM-26A)

Length:84.25 in (2.140 m)
Wingspan:24.4 in (62 cm)
Diameter:11.4 in (29 cm)
Weight:203 lb (92 kg)
Speed:Mach 2
Range:6 mi (9.7 km)
Guidance:semi-active radar homing
Warhead:W54nuclear, explosive yield 250 t TNT equivalent

Surviving Examples

Below is an incomplete list of museums which have an AIM-26 in their collection:

Museum of Aviation,Warner Robins, Georgia(AIM-26 A)
National Museum of Naval Aviation,Naval Air Station Pensacola,Florida(AIM-26 A)
DVHAA Historical Aircraft Museum,Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove,Pennsylvania(AIM-26 A)
Suomen ilmavoimamuseo /Finnish Air Force Museum,Finland (AIM-26 B / RB 27)
Robotmuseum /Robot MuseumArboga, Sweden (AIM-26 B / RB 27)
Västerås Flygmuseum /Västerås Aviation MuseumVästerås, Sweden (AIM-26 B / RB 27)

References

^Hansen 1988,pp. 146.
^Hansen, Chuck(1988).US Nuclear Weapons: The Secret History.Aerofax. pp.105–107, 146,178–179, 198.ISBN 0517567407.
^Hansen 1988,pp. 176–178.

[FOOTNOTEHansen1988146-1] Hansen 1988,pp. 146.

[Hansen,_W54-2] Hansen, Chuck(1988).US Nuclear Weapons: The Secret History.Aerofax. pp.105–107, 146,178–179, 198.ISBN 0517567407.

[FOOTNOTEHansen1988176–178-3] Hansen 1988,pp. 176–178.

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