SM-64 Navaho

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Navaho missile on launch pad

The North American SM-64 Navaho was an experimental supersonic intercontinental cruise missile. It was ultimately cancelled after four failed launches caused its sponsors to shift funding to the more promising SM-62 Snark and the intercontinental ballistic missiles Atlas and Titan.

The missile is named after the Navajo Nation and is in keeping with North American Aviation's habit of naming projects with code names starting with the letters "NA".

Specifications

General characteristics

Length: 67 ft 11 in (20.7 m)
Wingspan: 28 ft 7 in (8.71 m)
Wing area: ft² ( m²)
Weight: 64,850 lb (29,420 kg)
Powerplant: 2× XRJ47-W-5 ramjets; 15,000 lbf (67 kN) thrust. 2× XLR83-NA-1 rocket boosters; 200,000 lb (890 kN) thrust.

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 3
Maximum speed: 2,000 knots (3,700 km/h)
Combat range: 3,500 miles (6,500 km)
Service ceiling: 77,000 ft (23,000 m)
Rate of climb: ft/min ( m/min)
Wing loading: lb/ft² ( kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.46:1

Armament

Nuclear warhead

Operators

: The United States Air Force cancelled the program before accepting the Navaho into service.

External links

[Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles: North American SM-64 Navaho], by Andreas Parsch