Lockheed Axe
- Thread starter Michel Van
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Unfortunately the image of the Lockheed AXE/BOSS concept has been associated with the air launched "Hypersonic Glide Vehicle"/Boost Glide Vehicle. AXE and "HGV" were separate and completely unrelated programs.
AXE was an Air Force name for a concept to quickly strike 40+ Warsaw Pact airfields and keep them out of operation for 3 or more days. It was also called Conventional Airfield Attack Missile or just Airfield Attack Missile. As covered previously in this thread, there were 3 competing concepts studied:
- CAM-40, a modified Pershing II with with kinetic energy penetrators
- Ballistic Offensive Suppression System. Trident first stage with a payload of CADM submunitions.
- Total Air Base Attack System. Ballistic missile with 25-ton payload. They even studied using Saturn rockets as delivery system.
Note the BOSS graphic below shows a very different configuration than the one shown in Lockheed Horizons.
Other concepts studied included:
- A Boeing concept
- A concept using an Ariane stage as booster
All of these were to be silo based, not air launched. Each had a range of less than 1000 miles.
The European Security Study looked at these concepts. To hold 30 airfields at risk would require 900 missiles at a cost of $2-3b over 10 years, which would cost more and be less effective than cruise missiles and require fixed silos on European soil, etc.
This did not go over well with Congress and AXE and related efforts were killed in 1985.
Charles Nystrom Jr., "Air Base Attack: The Promise of Emerging Technology"
"Surface-to-surface missile recommended for NATO", Aviation Week & Space Technology June 7 1982
"Axe Funding" , Aviation Week & Space Technology December 6 1982
"Firm Studies Counter Airfield Weapon" , Aviation Week & Space Technology August 29 1983
AXE was an Air Force name for a concept to quickly strike 40+ Warsaw Pact airfields and keep them out of operation for 3 or more days. It was also called Conventional Airfield Attack Missile or just Airfield Attack Missile. As covered previously in this thread, there were 3 competing concepts studied:
- CAM-40, a modified Pershing II with with kinetic energy penetrators
- Ballistic Offensive Suppression System. Trident first stage with a payload of CADM submunitions.
- Total Air Base Attack System. Ballistic missile with 25-ton payload. They even studied using Saturn rockets as delivery system.
Note the BOSS graphic below shows a very different configuration than the one shown in Lockheed Horizons.
Other concepts studied included:
- A Boeing concept
- A concept using an Ariane stage as booster
All of these were to be silo based, not air launched. Each had a range of less than 1000 miles.
The European Security Study looked at these concepts. To hold 30 airfields at risk would require 900 missiles at a cost of $2-3b over 10 years, which would cost more and be less effective than cruise missiles and require fixed silos on European soil, etc.
This did not go over well with Congress and AXE and related efforts were killed in 1985.
Charles Nystrom Jr., "Air Base Attack: The Promise of Emerging Technology"
"Surface-to-surface missile recommended for NATO", Aviation Week & Space Technology June 7 1982
"Axe Funding" , Aviation Week & Space Technology December 6 1982
"Firm Studies Counter Airfield Weapon" , Aviation Week & Space Technology August 29 1983
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jsport
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- Ballistic Offensive Suppression System. Trident first stage with a payload of CADM submunitions.
The threat of conventional Trident submuntions able to supress the massive amounts of hardened structures (airfields, aircraft shelters, TEL shelters, C2 ctrs) the PLA/PLAN will possess near 2050 seems like a good idea. The msle and or submuntions will need to survive this new S-550 SAM which appears to be designed to intercept Hypers. Depending on the submunition, they may be able to saturate S-550 tgting which LRHW/CPS could not.
- Total Air Base Attack System. Ballistic missile with 25-ton payload. They even studied using Saturn rockets as delivery system.
Large rockets are no great shake anymore and likewise could surpress the numbers of structures necessary. These could be launched from commercial ships (well known concept) or even from the homeland. There would need to be clear communication w/ the PLAN "if you do this... then we will destroy your offensive capability w a conventional capability and your S-550 system will not stop us. "
The threat of conventional Trident submuntions able to supress the massive amounts of hardened structures (airfields, aircraft shelters, TEL shelters, C2 ctrs) the PLA/PLAN will possess near 2050 seems like a good idea. The msle and or submuntions will need to survive this new S-550 SAM which appears to be designed to intercept Hypers. Depending on the submunition, they may be able to saturate S-550 tgting which LRHW/CPS could not.
- Total Air Base Attack System. Ballistic missile with 25-ton payload. They even studied using Saturn rockets as delivery system.
Large rockets are no great shake anymore and likewise could surpress the numbers of structures necessary. These could be launched from commercial ships (well known concept) or even from the homeland. There would need to be clear communication w/ the PLAN "if you do this... then we will destroy your offensive capability w a conventional capability and your S-550 system will not stop us. "
