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| AGM-12 Bullpup | |
|---|---|
 AGM-12D Bullpup B Missile at the Air Force Armament Museum |
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| Type | Air to ground command guided missile |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | ASM-N-7 1959 - 1970s
ASM-N-7A/AGM-12B 1965 - 1970s |
| Used by | United States, Australia, Denmark, Greece, Israel, Norway, China, Turkey, United Kingdom |
| Wars | Korean War, Vietnam War |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin, W.L. Maxson |
| Produced | 1959 - 1970 |
| Number built | 22,100 (total)
4,600 (AGM-12C) |
| Variants | ASM-N-7, ASM-N-7A/AGM-12B, AGM-12C, GAM-83B/AGM-12D, AGM-12E |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 1,785 pounds (810 kg) (AGM-12C) |
| Length | 13.6 feet (4.1 m) |
| Diameter | 18 inches (460 mm) |
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| Warhead | Conventional high-explosive (ASM-N-7, ASM-N-7A/AGM-12B)
Semi armor piercing (AGM-12C) |
| Warhead weight | 250 pounds (110 kg) (ASM-N-7A/AGM-12B)
970 pounds (440 kg) (AGM-12C) |
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| Engine | Rocket 30,000 pounds-force (130 kN) |
| Wingspan | 48 inches (1.2 m) |
| Propellant | Storable, liquid-fuel |
| Operational range |
10 nautical miles (12 mi; 19 km) |
| Speed | approx. Mach 1.8 |
| Guidance system |
Line-of-sight radio command |
| Launch platform |
FJ-4B, A-4D, F-4, F-105, Draken |
The AGM-12 Bullpup is an air-to-ground missile which was used on the A-4 Skyhawk, A-6 Intruder and F-4 Phantom among others. It has been superseded by more advanced armaments, notably the AGM-62 Walleye and AGM-65 Maverick.
Contents |
Design
The Bullpup was the first mass-produced air-surface command guided missile, first deployed by the United States Navy in 1959 as the ASM-N-7 until it was redesignated AGM-12B in 1962. It was developed as a result of experiences in the Korean War where US airpower had great difficulty in destroying targets which required precise aiming and were often heavily defended, such as bridges.
Operation
The Bullpup was roll-stabilized and visually guided by the pilot or weapons operator using a "tracer" on the back of the missile to track the weapon in flight while using a control joystick to steer it toward the target using radio signals. It was initially powered by a solid fuel rocket motor, and carried a 250 lb (110 kg) warhead.
Variants
Later versions of the missile included upgrades such as a larger 1000 lb (450 kg) warhead, improved rocket motors, and improved guidance, and in one late version, the ability to carry a nuclear warhead.
The weapon was phased out of US service in the 1970s but was still used by other countries much later. Some militaries currently still use some as inert practice weapons.
Operators
United States: United States Air Force and United States Navy
Australia: Royal Australian Air Force
Denmark: Royal Danish Air Force
Greece: Hellenic Air Force
Israel: Israel Defense Forces
Norway: Royal Norwegian Air Force
Republic of China: Republic of China Air Force
Turkey: Turkish Air Force
United Kingdom: Royal Air Force and Royal Navy
Survivors
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This article is incomplete and may require expansion or cleanup. Please help to improve the article, or discuss the issue on the talk page. |
Below is a list of museums which have a Bullpup missile in their collection:
- Air Force Armament Museum, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida
- Sola Aviation Museum, Stavanger, Norway
- National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
- Patriot's Point Naval & Maritime Museum, South Carolina
See also
- Kh-23 (AS-7 'Kerry') - a Soviet command-guided missile inspired by the Bullpup
- AS-20 - similar French missile developed in the late 1950s
- AJ 168 Martel missile - contemporary Anglo-French missile with TV guidance
Related lists
References
External links
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