RIM-8 Talos

The Bendix RIM-8 Talos was a long-range naval surface-to-air missile, and was among the earliest surface-to-air missiles to equip United States Navy ships. The Talos used radar beam riding for guidance to the vicinity of its target, and semiactive radar homing (SARH) for terminal guidance. The characteristic array of four antennas surrounding the nose are the SARH receivers which functioned as a continuous wave interferometer. Thrust was provided by a solid rocket booster for initial launch and a Bendix ramjet for flight to target with the warhead doubling as the ramjet's compressor.

History
Talos was the end product of Operation Bumblebee, the Navy's 16-year surface-to-air missile development program for protection against guided anti-ship missiles like Henschel Hs 293 glide bombs, Fritz X, and kamikaze aircraft. The Talos was the primary effort behind the Bumblebee project, but was not the first missile the program developed; the RIM-2 Terrier was the first to enter service. The Talos was originally designated SAM-N-6, and was redesignated RIM-8 in 1963. The airframe structure was manufactured by McDonnell Aircraft in St. Louis; final assembly was by Bendix Missile Systems in Mishawaka, Indiana.

The Talos saw relatively limited use due to its large size and dual radar antenna system; there were few ships that could accommodate the large missiles with the AN/SPW-2 missile guidance radar and the AN/SPG-49 target illumination and tracking radar. Indeed, the 11.6-meter-long, 3½-tonne missile was similar in size to a fighter aircraft. The Talos Mark 7 launcher system was installed in three Galveston class cruisers (converted Cleveland class light cruisers) with 14 missiles in a ready-service magazine and up to 30 unmated missiles and boosters in a storage area above the main deck. Nuclear-powered USS Long Beach and three Albany class cruiser (converted Baltimore class heavy cruisers) carried Mark 12 launchers fed from behind by a 46-round magazine below the main deck.

The initial SAM-N-6b/RIM-8A had an effective range of about 50 nm, and a conventional warhead. The SAM-N-6bW/RIM-8B was a RIM-8A with a nuclear warhead; terminal guidance was judged unnecessary for a nuclear warhead, so the SARH antenna were omitted. The SAM-N-6b1/RIM-8C was introduced in 1960 and had nearly double the range, and a more effective conventional continuous-rod warhead. The RIM-8D was the nuclear-warhead version of the -8C. The SAM-N-6c/RIM-8E "Unified Talos" had a warhead that could be swapped while embarked, eliminating the need to waste magazine capacity carrying dedicated nuclear warhead variants. The RIM-8E also carried an improved continuous-wave terminal homing seeker, and had a higher ceiling. Some RIM-8Cs were retrofitted with the new seeker, and designated RIM-8F. The RIM-8G and RIM-8J had further radar homing improvements. The RIM-8H Talos-ARM was a dedicated anti-radar homing missile for use against shore-based radar stations. Initial testing of the RIM-8H was performed in 1965, and soon after it was deployed in Vietnam on Chicago, Oklahoma City, and Long Beach, attacking North Vietnamese SAM radars. The surface-to-air versions also saw action in Vietnam, a total of three MiGs being shot down by Chicago and Long Beach. The Talos missile also had surface-to-surface capabilities.

Variants

 * SAM-N-6:Development and prototype missiles; pre-1962 US Navy designation of the Talos missile.
 * SAM-N-6a:Development and prototype missiles; pre-1962 US Navy designation of the Talos missile.
 * SAM-N-6b:Production missiles deployed with conventional explosive warheads; re-designated RIM-8A.
 * SAM-N-6bw:The -6b missile with nuclear warhead, omitting terminal guidance and SARH antennae; re-designated RIM-8B.
 * SAM-N-6b1:An improved -6b with much greater range and continuous rod conventional warhead; re-designated RIM-8C.
 * SAM-N-6c:"Unified Talos" with interchangeable nuclear / conventional warheads eliminating the need for storage of both missile types, also fitted with improved terminal homing and higher operating ceiling; re-designated RIM-8E.
 * RIM-8A Talos:Production missiles deployed with conventional explosive warheads; re-designated from SAM-N-6b.
 * RIM-8B Talos:The RIM-8A missile with nuclear warhead, omitting terminal guidance and SARH antennae; re-designated from SAM-N-6bw.
 * RIM-8C Talos:An improved RIM-8A with much greater range and continuous rod conventional warhead; re-designated from SAM-N-6b1.
 * RIM-8D Talos:The RIM-8C with nuclear warhead.
 * RIM-8E Talos:"Unified Talos" with interchangeable nuclear / conventional warheads eliminating the need for storage of both missile types, also fitted with improved terminal homing and higher operating ceiling; re-designated from SAM-N-6c.
 * RIM-8F Talos:Some RIM-8C missiles retro-fitted with the new seeker from the RIM-8E.
 * RIM-8G Talos:Variant with further homing improvements.
 * RIM-8H Talos-ARM:A dedicated surface-to-surface anti-radar homing version for deployment on ships already fitted out for the Talos SAM.
 * RIM-8J Talos:Variant with further homing improvements.
 * MQM-8G Vandal:Talos missiles remaining after removal from active service were converted to super-sonic drone targets, with the inventory being exhausted circa 2008.

Fate
Talos was phased out of fleet service in 1976, though the ships carrying the system soldiered on a few more years with the launchers left in place until they (Albany-class, and Oklahoma City) were retired in 1980, after Long Beach had her Talos launcher removed in 1978. After 22 years of fleet service, the missile was replaced by the RIM-67 Standard missile, which was fired from the smaller Mk10 launcher.

A Talos missile is displayed in the atrium of the South Bend Regional Airport (historically known as Bendix Field).

Another example can be seen at the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum, located at Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.