RIM-24 Tartar

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The General Dynamics RIM-24 Tartar was a medium-range naval surface-to-air missile (SAM), and was among the earliest surface-to-air missiles to equip United States Navy ships. The Tartar was the third of the so-called "3 T's", the three primary SAMs the Navy fielded in the 60s and 70s, the others being the RIM-2 Terrier and RIM-8 Talos.

History

The Tartar was born of a need for a more lightwieght system for smaller ships, and something that could engage targets at very close range. Essentially, the Tartar was simply a RIM-2C Terrier without the secondary booster. The Tartar was never given a SAM-N-x designation, and was simply referred to as Missile Mk 15 until the RIM designation system was introduced in 1963.

The Tartar was used on a number of ships, of a variety of sizes. Initially the Mk 11 twin-arm launcher was used, later ships used the Mk 13 and Mk 22 single-arm launchers.

The Tartar was replaced in U.S. Navy service with the RIM-66 Standard Missile (MR). Even after the upgrade to a new missile, ships were still said to be Tartar ships because they carried the Tartar Guided Missile Fire Control System.

Variations

RIM-24A - Original missile
RIM-24B - Improved Tartar
RIM-24C - Improved Tartar Retrofit (ITR) aka. Tartar Reliability Improvement Program (TRIP)

External links

http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-24.html
http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/tartar.htm
http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/kn10000/kn11658c.htm (Potential image source)

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