AUM-N-2 Petrel
| AUM-N-2 Petrel | |
|---|---|
Mark 41 torpedo | |
| Engine | Fairchild J44 turbojet 1,000 lbf (4.4 kN) |
| Propellant | JP-4 |
Operational range | 20 nmi (23 mi; 37 km) |
| Maximum speed | 375 mph (604 km/h) |
The AUM-N-2 Petrel, also known as Kingfisher C and AUM-2, was an air-to-surface missile produced as part of Project Kingfisher for the United States Navy. Intended to use against enemy surface ships and surfaced submarines giving aircraft the ability to deliver aerial torpedoes from outside the range of defensive armament, it saw brief operational service in the late 1950s. The project was never considered a high priority by the Navy however, as it was useless against submerged submarines, which were considered the greatest potential threat.
Following its withdrawal from operational usage, the Petrel was used as a target drone, receiving the designation AQM-41A shortly before being retired from service altogether.
Design and development
The development of the Petrel began in August 1944, when the
Operational history
Under the authority of the
The Petrel was never considered a very high priority by the U.S. Navy, which was far more concerned about the threat from submarines than surface ships. New submarine designs powered by nuclear reactors, which could remain submerged indefinitely, were beginning to appear in the mid-1950s. The prospects of catching an enemy submarine on the surface were therefore receding, and more emphasis was being placed on underwater engagements, for which Petrel's radar homing was useless; the use of semi-active radar guidance also required the launching aircraft to continue closing on the target throughout the missile's flight, exposing it to a far greater danger from enemy defenses.[5]
In February 1956, the weapons test ship USS Mississippi participated in tests of the Petrel.[9] Later in 1956 patrol squadrons VP(HM)-13 on the Atlantic coast and VP(HM)-10 on the Pacific coast began working up with P2V-6M Neptune carrier aircraft; however in 1957 responsibility for the Petrel was transferred to the United States Navy Reserve units, with VP-834 being assigned as the Petrel's operational squadron in the USNR.[1] By the start of 1959 the phaseout of the Petrel had begun, and on 29 January 1959 the Petrel program was cancelled entirely, no longer being considered necessary in the changing strategic environment.[1] The Neptunes that had been converted for carrying the missile were restored to their normal configuration and reassigned,[1] with the remaining Petrels were converted to serve as air-launched target drones.[5]
In 1962, the remaining Petrel drones were redesignated AQM-41A under
References
Citations
- ^ a b c d e Friedman 1982, p. 203.
- ^ Grossnick & Armstrong 1997, p. 672.
- ^ a b c d e Ordway & Wakeford 1960, pp. USA28–29.
- ^ Friedman 1982, p. 268.
- ^ a b c d e f Parsch 2005.
- ^ Friedman 1982, p. 119.
- ^ American Aviation Historical Society Journal, Volume 44 (1999). p. 88.
- ^ "Navy's New Petrel Missile Termed Sparkling Success". San Bernardino Daily Sun. San Bernardino, CA. 4 April 1956. p. 12.
- ^ DANFS Mississippi.
Bibliography
- "Mississippi III (Battleship No. 41)". Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. Navy Department, Naval History and Heritage Command. 18 February 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- ISBN 978-0-87021-735-7.
- Grossnick, Roy A. & Armstrong, William J. (1997). United States Naval Aviation, 1910-1995, Volume 2. Naval Historical Center. ISBN 978-0-16-0491-24-5.
- Ordway, Frederick Ira & Wakeford, Ronald C. (1960). International Missile and Spacecraft Guide. New York: McGraw-Hill. ASIN B000MAEGVC.
- Parsch, Andreas (17 September 2005). "Fairchild AUM-N-2/AQM-41 Petrel". Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. Designation-Systems. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
External links
Media related to AUM-N-2 Petrel at Wikimedia Commons
