A guided missile is a self-propelled projectile used as a weapon. Missiles are typically propelled by rockets or jet engines. Missiles generally have one or more explosive warheads, although other weapon types may also be used.

Below are relevant documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.

Declassified Documents

 Archie to Sam. A Short Operational history of Ground-Based Air Defense [308 Pages, 5.46MB] – Dr. Kenneth Werrell’s history of ground-based air defense performs an important service both to scholarship and, more importantly, to the defense of our nation’s freedom. It is perhaps human nature that we tend over time to lose sight of the lessons of the past, especially when they do not conform to certain cherished preconceptions of ours. That such myopia can be dangerous, if not downright disastrous, Dr. Werrell’s study richly illustrates. Without sentimentalism, he chronicles a pattern of lessons learned and too quickly forgotten as the marvel of air power was reminded again and again of its limitations and vulnerability. In Korea and in Vietnam, the American people were stripped of their illusions of national and technical omnipotence. The unhappy outcome of those two conflicts was doubly lamentable because the lessons of World War II were—or should have been—fresh in our minds. In that world war, as Dr. Werrell shows, relatively cheap ground-based air defense did make a difference: at Ploesti, at Antwerp, and at the Rhine bridges.

Ballistic Missiles

Air University Quarterly Review, The Air Force Ballistic Missile, vol. IX, No 3, 1957 [72 Pages, 32mb]

Ballistic Missile Defense Glossary v3.0 [323 Pages]

Preliminary Design Approach. Air-to-Surface Missile Strategic Weapon System [51 Pages, 2.48 MB] – After years of research, I found a document written by my grandfather, R.E. Greenewald.  Forever will his legacy be preserved now on the internet!

Foreign Missile Intelligence

Missiles Against Missiles, by Tomasz Hypki – 24 October 2001 [43 Pages, 1.6MB] – Excerpt: As a result of the simulated nuclear missile attack conducted during the command staff exercises entitled Decisive Strike carried out in the early 1970’s in the USSR, there was destruction of 90% of the American armed forces, 70% of its industrial potential and loss of 80 – 90 million residents of the United States. This result exceeded the anticipation of Soviet leaders who had structured entire maps on the development of nuclear weapons. The rivalry with the United States which had started in this manner had reached the point where, by the early 1980’s, each side had at its disposal 10 thousand nuclear warheads mounted on delivery vehicles with strategic ranges capable of reaching enemy territory.

The Weapon of Victory [11 Pages, 2.1MB]

Guided Missiles

UNGUIDED ROCKET BALLISTICS METEOROLOGY CONFERENCE, 31 OCTOBER-2 NOVEMBER 1967  [640 Pages, 23.7MB] – This publication contains some of the papers to be presented at the Unguided Rocket Ballistics Meteorology Co, ference. Those not included here were not received by the Conference Chairman, E. J. Trawle, in time for publication. All papers are printed as received from the authors.

Missile Defense

 Integrated Missile Warning/Mission Defense Advanced Concept Demonstration, 06/14/2004 [239 Pages, 0.6MB] – This document is nearly entirely redacted – but they sent nearly every page whited out citing FOIA exemption (b)(3).

The post Missiles and Missile Defense first appeared on The Black Vault.

The following description was taken from recently declassified government documents, obtained by The Black Vault, about Project Corrode:

During the summer of 1952, a Study Group under the auspices of Lincoln Laboratory conducted a study of the defense of the United States against enemy air attack. This Summer Study Group recommended the establishment of a distant early-warning (DEW) line in the arctic region to provide warning of impending air attack sufficiently early so that effective defense measures could be initiated before enemy aircraft entered vital areas. 

Late in 1952, PROJECT COUNTER CHANGE (now PROJECT CORRODE) was established under Air Force cognizance to provide for the installation of a model DEW line and for the development of improved equipment for early-warning application. As prime contractor for PROJECT CORRODE, the Western Electric Company agreed to furnish the necessary equipment and install it during the summer of 1953.

Certain phases of the initial development and engineering design were undertaken by Lincoln Laboratory In December 1951, and the commitments for the first phase of the field installations were fulfilled on the scheduled date of 1 May 1953.  The Lincoln Laboratory also provided supporting technical services. These included training of Western Electric operating personnel and the installation and initial adjustment of radar and communications equipment at the domestic sites. In the Far North, Laboratoty personnel assisted in the adjustment and initial operation of the VHF scatter-communication equipment (at this writing, similar services are being furnished for radar equipment).

Declassified Documents

 PROGRESS REPT. TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, 8 DECEMBER 1952-31 DECEMBER 1953 [76 Pages, 19.6MB]

 PROGRESS REPT. NO. 2 TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, 1 JANUARY-31 MAY 1954 [23 Pages, 7.3MB]

The post Project Counter Change / Project Corrode – Enemy Attack Defense Study, 1950s first appeared on The Black Vault.