Dilandu
I'm dissatisfied, which means, I exist.
Just a weird idea, that I toyed with for a while, actually. What if SM-62 "Snark" intercontinental cruise missile was equipped with ATRAN low-altitude navigation system from MGM-13 "Mace" cruise missile? So it could fly the last 1000+ kilometers of its run on low altitude, avoiding detection and interception?
(the ATRAN - Automatic Terrain Recognition And Navigation system - was a late 1950s analogue terrain-following system. The signal from missile's radar altimeter was compared with the signal from the photocell that scanned the specifically-prepared terrain map on microfilm rolls. When signals from radar and photocell aligned, this indicated the point where missile was now, and autopilot received corrections. This allowed the missile to follow terrain and fly as low as 230 meters)
The idea is, that ATRAN-equipped "Snark" would fly the majority of its route on high altitude, using its standard celestial navigation system to reach the pre-set point. At this point, it would switch to ATRAN navigation, descend to low altitude, and fly the rest of the way - say, the last 1000+ kilometers - in terrain-following mode.
Such hybrid could solve two major problems of "Snark" system:
* Low accuracy - basically all that would be required from "Snark" own stellar navigation system is to put missile close enough to programmed ATRAN route so it could recognize it and switch to ATRAN navigation. The accuracy of ATRAN itself was around 0,45 km (CEP), about five times better than of SM-62.
* Vulnerability to air defense - on circa 300 meters altitude, provided by ATRAN, it would be much harder to detect "Snark" by 1960s radars and intercept by SAM's or manned interceptors. The missile subsonic speed would not be much liability, especially considering that "Snark" was supposed to be used mainly as retaliation weapon.
(the ATRAN - Automatic Terrain Recognition And Navigation system - was a late 1950s analogue terrain-following system. The signal from missile's radar altimeter was compared with the signal from the photocell that scanned the specifically-prepared terrain map on microfilm rolls. When signals from radar and photocell aligned, this indicated the point where missile was now, and autopilot received corrections. This allowed the missile to follow terrain and fly as low as 230 meters)
The idea is, that ATRAN-equipped "Snark" would fly the majority of its route on high altitude, using its standard celestial navigation system to reach the pre-set point. At this point, it would switch to ATRAN navigation, descend to low altitude, and fly the rest of the way - say, the last 1000+ kilometers - in terrain-following mode.
Such hybrid could solve two major problems of "Snark" system:
* Low accuracy - basically all that would be required from "Snark" own stellar navigation system is to put missile close enough to programmed ATRAN route so it could recognize it and switch to ATRAN navigation. The accuracy of ATRAN itself was around 0,45 km (CEP), about five times better than of SM-62.
* Vulnerability to air defense - on circa 300 meters altitude, provided by ATRAN, it would be much harder to detect "Snark" by 1960s radars and intercept by SAM's or manned interceptors. The missile subsonic speed would not be much liability, especially considering that "Snark" was supposed to be used mainly as retaliation weapon.
