Westinghouse AN/GPA-35 Ground Environment

The Westinghouse AN/GPA-35 Ground Environment (GPA-35 colloq.) was a surface-to-air missile weapons direction system for Cold War launch and steering during CIM-10 Bomarc tests.[1] The command guidance system manufactured by Westinghouse Electric Corporation[2] used Bendix AN/FPS-20 Radar data to track the missile, and Lincoln Laboratory Division 6 had an "AN/GPA-35 Study Group" for integrating the AN/GPA-35 into the SAGE System.[3] Notable launches with GPA-35 guidance included [4] (e.g., at the Eastern Range):

  • 1956 October—Six launches were used to test the AN/GPA-35 capability to command BOMARC intercept of QB-17 drones.
  • 1957 October—A BOMARC test with "live high-explosive warhead" failed when the GPA-35 commanded "faulty mid-course guidance".
  • 1958 May 1 -- The "GPA-35 could not control the missile beyond 130 miles."
  • 1958 August 7 -- A GPA-35 took control of an airborne BOMARC from the Experimental SAGE Sector, and the missile malfunctioned and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean.
  • 1959 March 6 -- A straying BOMARC was self-destructed near the western boundary of the "Eglin Gulf Test Range" after a GPA-35 had transmitted the wrong commands.
  • 1959 April 13—The GPA-35 lost control of the missile 100 seconds after launch.
  • 1959 April 24—GPA-35 control was used for simultaneous guidance of 2 BOMARCS.

References
  1. http://dome.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.3/40636/MC665_r16_M-4316.pdf?sequence=1
  2. Rice, Helen. History of Ogden Air Material Area… 1934 - 1960 (Scribd image) (Report). p. 204. Retrieved 2013-07-22. On 17 May 1957 the Boeing Airplane Co., the prime contractor, received its initial contract for a plus [sic] $135 million to produce IM-99 Bomarcs. …Boeing subcontracted to…Westinghouse Electric for the AN/GPA-35, ground-to-air guidance system used on the Bomarc until SAGE was fully operational
  3. http://dome.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.3/46017/MC665_r14_6M-4347.pdf?sequence=1
  4. McMullen, R. F. (15 Feb 1980). History of Air Defense Weapons 1946–1962 (Report). ADC Historical Study No. 14. Historical Division, Office of information, HQ ADC.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.