As WWII came to a close and the era of jet-powered aircraft began, the US Navy began to recognize the need for an intermediate-level air defense option with more extended range than radar-directed flak but shorter ranged than dedicated air defense aircraft. The US Navy implemented Operation Bumblebee to develop the fleet's first surface-to-air missiles. The first two missiles produced by the program where the ramjet powered RIM-8 Talos missile and the more successful solid rocket booster powered RIM-2 Terrier (Which would eventually evolve into the RIM-66 Standard 1


In Service between 1958 and 1973, Talos was a large and heavy missile that needed a large launch platform to house the enormous illumination radars (SPG-49). In Sea Power, the Talos is found on a single ship, the Galveston-Class Missile Cruisers. The Galveston-Class were refits of the famed Cleveland-Class light cruisers, the US Navy's premier air defense cruisers of WWII. The Talos Missile was taken out of service in 1978.


The Talos is a poor choice for fleet air defense against supersonic cruise missiles due to its poor ready speed and relatively weak SPG-49 illumination radar. If the illumination radars lose track, the missile will self-destruct. Talos is greatly affected by platforms with self-protect jammers and chaff. While the Talos boasts a 130mn range, the illumination radars can only target a large aircraft at about 30-40nm.





The second of the three 'T' missiles developed from Operation Bumblebee. The Terrier was much lighter than the Talos missile at the cost of max theoretical range. In practice, the Terrier became the most prevalent air defense missile in the US Navy arsenal between the late-1950s and late-1960s as the smaller and lighter weapon could equip a greater number of US Navy ships. In Sea Power, only the 1968 Leahy-Class Missile Cruiser and the 1972 Belknap-Class Missile Cruiser equip the missile.





The Terrier is a better option than the Talos for fleet air defense with it's faster MK10 launcher and improved SPG-55 illumination radars. However, the 1960s-era seeker in the Terrier is still easily spoofed by 1970s and 1980s-era countermeasures.

In the late 1960s, with the rise of solid-state electronics capable of taking on the more complex computing tasks of older vacuum tube electronics, the US Navy decided to update its notoriously unreliable RIM-24 Tartar missile. The RIM-24 was a small evolution of the Terrier missile used for short-range air defense—essentially, it was the RIM-8 Terrier without the attached booster section. RIM-66A (Standard Missile 1) was a further evolution of the RIM-24 with improved solid-state electronics. The resulting missile was lighter, more reliable, and provided increased lethality over the RIM-24.

In Sea Power, there are five US ships equipped with the SM-1MR/RIM-66 missile.

• Virginia (RIM-66b)
  
• Perry (RIM-66b)
  
• Adams (RIM-66a [Early], RIM66b [Late])
  
• Kidd (RIM-66b)

Adams [Early]:



RIM-66a on the early Adams destroyers suffers from the same drawbacks as the old Terrier missile systems. The slow MK11 launcher and limited range. The RIM-66a on the early Adams should only be used for ship self-defense.

Virginia, Kidd:




The improved MK26 launcher can pump out an impressive number of missiles in a short amount of time. However, the short range of the RM-66b means that the Virginia and Kidd will struggle to defend against supersonic targets.

Adams Late

Oliver Hazard Perry




While the Perry was designed primarily as an ASW frigate, it was given the best air defense capability for a small (by 1980s standards) ship. The MK92 FCS has multiple small radars in the dome located above the bridge and a large illumination radar amidships. In Sea Power the MK92 FCS can simultaneously engage 2 targets with 9 total missiles. The MK-92 FCS and RIM-66b are designed for robust ship self-defense.


To Be Continued . . .