MQR-13 BMTS
| MQR-13 BMTS | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Target drone |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1966–1968 |
| Used by | United States Army |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | U.S. Army Missile Command |
| Specifications (Configuration I, Version I) | |
| Mass | 1,650 pounds (750 kg) |
| Length | 25.9 ft (7.89 m) |
| Diameter | 16.5 inches (420 mm) |
| Wingspan | 5.1 ft (1.54 m) |
| Engine | 1st stage,Allegheny M5;55,000 lbf(246 kN) 2nd stage,Thiokol TE 307;4,700 lbf(21.1 kN) |
| Propellant | Solid fuel |
Operational range | 202 mi (325 km) |
| Flight ceiling | 81 mi (130 km) |
| Maximum speed | 6,000 feet per second (1,800 m/s) |
TheXMQR-13A Ballistic Missile Target System (BMTS)was an unguided target rocket developed by theUnited States Armyduring the 1960s, intended for use in the development of missile defense systems. Utilising off-the-shelf parts in four different configurations, the BMTS was utilised in a series of launches in the late 1960s supporting tests of several missile systems.
Design and development
[edit]Developed by theU.S. Army Missile Command(USAMICOM), the Ballistic Missile Target System, or BMTS, was intended as a ballistic target rocket, utilising as many parts from existing missiles as possible, to be used in the development and evaluation of defense systems againstballistic missileattack.[1]
Given the designation XMQR-13A in 1967, the BMTS could be launched in four different configurations. Configuration 1 used the booster from aNike Ajaxsurface-to-air missile,with either anApache(Version 1),Cajun(version 2), or inert Cajun (version 3) upper stage. Configuration 2 omitted the upper stage. All four variations fitted aradar enhancerin the nose cone to assist in target acquisition by the targeting missile.[1]
Operational history
[edit]The XMQR-13A was used in a series of test firings between 1966 and 1968, primarily from theWhite Sands Missile Range,[1]and using a modifiedTerrierportable launcher.[2]The test launches supported a variety of antimissile development programs,[3]including that of theHAWK,[4]and was intended for use in the development ofSAM-D.[5]
TheNike-ApacheandNike-Cajunrocket configurations were also use extensively assounding rocketsfor experimental missions conducted byNASA.[6][7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]Notes
[edit]Bibliography
[edit]- Goebel, Greg (2010)."Modern US Target Drones".Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.vectorsite.net.Retrieved2011-01-05.
- Parsch, Andreas (2002)."USAMICOM MQR-13 BMTS".Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles.designation-systems.net.Retrieved2011-01-06.
- Parsch, Andreas (2002b)."PWN-3".Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles.designation-systems.net.Retrieved2011-01-06.
- Parsch, Andreas (2004)."Nike-Apache".Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles.designation-systems.net.Retrieved2011-01-06.
- The Aerospace Year Book.Arlington, VA: Aerospace Industries Association of America. 1969.ASINB000E39S6K.
- Code Name Handbook: Aerospace, Defense, Technology(Seventh ed.). Defense Marketing Services. 1978.