| Aim-26 Falcon |
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| nuclear anti-aircraft weapons | |
| american cold war air-to-air missiles | |
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DEVELOPMENT Starting in 1956 Hughes Electronics began the development of an enlarged version of the GAR-1D Falcon that would carry a Nuclear Warhead . It was intended to provide a sure kill in attacks on Soviet heavy Bomber Aircraft . The original development was for Semi-active Radar Homing and heat-seeking versions based on the conventional GAR-1/GAR-2 weapons, under the designations GAR-5 and '''GAR-6''', respectively. The program was cancelled, but was revived in 1959 . The resultant GAR-11 (later '''AIM-26A''') entered service in 1961 , carried by Air Defense Command F-102 Delta Dagger interceptors. It used a radar Proximity Fuze and SARH . The GAR-11 used a sub-kiloton (250 tonne) W54 warhead shared with the 'Davy Crockett' M-388 Recoilless Rifle Projectile . Sources that indicate it shared the larger W25 warhead of the MB-1 Genie nuclear rocket are apparently incorrect. Out of concern for the obvious problems inherent in using nuclear weapons over friendly territory, a conventional version of the GAR-11, the GAR-11A, was developed, using a 40 lb (18.1 kg) conventional high-explosive warhead. After 1963 the weapon was redesignated AIM-26. The nuclear version became '''AIM-26A''', the conventional model '''AIM-26B'''. From 1970 to 1972 the nuclear warheads of the AIM-26A weapons were rebuilt for the nuclear version of the AGM-62 Walleye glide bomb. The AIM-26 saw little widespread use in USAF service, retiring in 1972 . The conventional AIM-26B was exported to Switzerland , however, as the HM-55, where it was used on Swiss Mirage IIIS fighters. The AIM-26B was produced under license in Sweden as the '''Rb 27''', arming Saab Draken and later Saab Viggen fighters. It was retired by the early 1990s . SPECIFICATIONS (GAR-11/AIM-26A)
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