Regulus

The Forgotten Weapon

David K. Stumpf

• Publisher: Turner
• Year: 1997
• eBook ISBN: 9781618585165
• Topic: Technology & Engineering
• Subtopic: Engineering General
• Index: Technology & Engineering

In the closing months of World War II, guided missile technology blossomed as a technological breakthrough for the delivery of offensive weapons. Late in the war, Germany introduced its V-1 and V-2 missile systems, and the Soviet ballistic missile program late in the decade heightened the need for a U.S. intermediate-range missile program.

During this period, the Chance Vought Aircraft Corporation, famous for its F4U Corsair aircraft among others, began work on a new guided missile program with the U.S. Navy—giving birth to the Regulus missile.

Regulus: America's First Nuclear Submarine Missile provides a detailed report on Chance Vought's Regulus I and II guided missiles, the program that paved the way in the fields of inertial navigation, missile guidance and impact accuracy. The book covers examples of the day-to-day operations as well as the yearly milestones for the program as it reached operational status, and covers naval deployment on aircraft carriers, to heavy cruisers and finally to the five submarines that patrolled the North Pacific. Detailed appendices include detailed discussions of the missile's guidance systems, nuclear warheads, flight operations and production summaries.

Regulus was an important step in the evolution of America's missile defense program, and this book is a fitting tribute to the history of this complex system, and the people who made it happen.

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• FOREWORD
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• PREFACE
• Dedication
• PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE
• PART I - A NEW ERA IN WEAPONS SYSTEMS
• PART II - REGULUS I AND II FLIGHT TEST AND DEVELOPMENT
• PART III - REGULUS I DEPLOYMENT ABOARD AIRCRAFT CARRIERS AND CRUISERS
• REGULUS I DEPLOYMENT ABOARD SUBMARINES
• PART IV - APPENDICES AND GLOSSARY
• APPENDIX I: GUIDANCE SYSTEMS
• APPENDIX II: NAVY GUIDED MISSILE UNIT HISTORIES
• APPENDIX III: REGULUS I GUIDANCE SUBMARINES
• APPENDIX IV: NUCLEAR WARHEADS FOR THE REGULUS PROGRAM
• APPENDIX V: SELECTED REGULUS SUBMARINE CHARACTERISTICS, CONSTRUCTION AND DECK PLANS
• APPENDIX VI: REGULUS SUBMARINE STRATEGIC DETERRENT PATROL DATES
• APPENDIX VII: REGULUS I FLIGHT OPERATIONS AND PRODUCTION SUMMARY
• APPENDIX VIII: LIST OF INTERVIEWS
• GLOSSARY
• REGULUS INDEX