AGM-53 Condor

Originally named ASM -N 11, the development of an air -to-ground missile has been launched. You should take a long range and with a very high precision their goals. The client was the U.S. Navy should be developed and manufactured in the renamed AGM -53 Condor in 1963 rocket from Rockwell International.

Already during the development of the prototypes XAGM -53A, there were problems. These mainly related to the information required by the Navy liquid fuel rocket engine. Because of this unreliability, the decision was made for a much stronger solid - rocket propulsion. The cost was another problem, which was exacerbated by the radio system of the rocket, as it had underestimated the time needed for its development. The TV seeker head, which was also later used in the AGM -62 Walleye, no problem, however, and so the first prototypes were tested in 1970 did.

The Condor, as it looked before the planners should hit targets from a distance of 110 km. To a two-way communication channel between the missile and aircraft has been established. This allowed the AGM correct their flight direction again and the gunner could follow the target approach on a small monitor. Next it was possible the Condor blind fire, and then the gunner could guide the missile to the target manually. In 1975, finally, the development will be completed and the plan was that by the end of 1976, 250 AGM -53A should be built. But in March of 1976, the program was stopped. This happened because the Condor was much more expensive than already available air -to-ground missiles. In addition, the communication system of the rocket took so much space that only a relatively small warhead could be installed, which the AGM in turn made ​​less effective as they could only attack smaller targets.

It should still be the AGM- 53B are developed; for this variant better electronics, a turbojet propulsion (range 185 km) and a nuclear warhead were provided. It remained, however, in planning.