AGM-109 / BGM-109 Tomahawk / Gryphon Concepts, Projects and Prototypes

[xena]

Why? It was the way how Tomahawk was developed. Topic is AGM-109 and these pictures belongs to it.

 

[TomS]

Why? It was the way how Tomahawk was developed. Topic is AGM-109 and these pictures belongs to it.

Things have been moved to this "development" thread, as suggested. They used to be in a Tomahawk operational thread, which was misleading.

 

[TomS]

FYI, another new stack of pictures showing AGM/BGM-109 Tomahawk during its early development were uploaded at the SDASM Flickr archive today.
Here an appetizer.

https://flic.kr/p/2qzyxux

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qzyxux

You can see a couple of cutaway submunitions, showing off the tandem warhead design going on there. Precursor shaped charge to dig a hole, and a follow-on charge to heave and crater the concrete.

 

[fightingirish]

Thanks @TomS, maybe I should have posted that appetizer in the topic 'AGM-109 dispenser'.
Link:

https://www.secretprojects.co.uk/threads/agm-109-dispenser.38954/

 

[fightingirish]

FYI, another new stack of pictures showing AGM/BGM-109 Tomahawk during its early development were uploaded at the SDASM Flickr archive today.

 

[zjz]

FYI, another new stack of pictures showing AGM/BGM-109 Tomahawk during its early development were uploaded at the SDASM Flickr archive today.

It's a pity that most of the pictures are not tagged properly, or am I not a savvy enough user to filter what I wish to search for?

 

[Pixelbrick]

It's a pity that most of the pictures are not tagged properly, or am I not a savvy enough user to filter what I wish to search for?

There's so many weird & awesome historical artefacts in there:

https://flic.kr/p/2qzywk8

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qzywk8

 

[robunos]

There's so many weird & awesome historical artefacts in there:

https://flic.kr/p/2qzywk8

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qzywk8

Man, a process camera ! Haven't seen or used on of them for years . . . looks like a n Agfa model, too . . . like the one I used to use . . .

cheers,
Robin.

 

[Apophenia]

Man, a process camera ! Haven't seen or used on of them for years . . . looks like a n Agfa model, too . . . like the one I used to use . . .

Now there's a blast from the past! My last exposure (pun, get it?) to the AGFA Repromaster was screening artwork circa 1979!

Thanks for the trip down memory lane, Robin

 

[aim9xray]

There's so many weird & awesome historical artefacts in there:

https://flic.kr/p/2qzywk8

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qzywk8

Good Lord! A process camera! In a room with a safelight. And some quick processors for negs and PMTs. I'll bet the Lith sisters worked near there; Ruby and Amber.

 

[TomS]

The short Tomahawk on a rotary launcher (described as a wired test stand) is interesting. Probably sized for the short bays in a B-1.

 

[TomS]

Thanks! I am aware MRASM was a shortened Tomahawk, even shorter than the ACLM candidate that was tested against AGM-86B .....

I will take some time to read through the report .... I am a sucker for any documentation that provides historical context on missile developments .....

MRASM came in two versions. The Air Force version was 232 inches long, while the Navy version was 192 inches.

The original Air Force ALCM was only 167.65 inches, followed by an Extended Range Version at 233.65 inches and then the final AGM-86B ALCM configuration at 249 inches.

 

[TomS]

The short Tomahawk on a rotary launcher (described as a wired test stand) is interesting. Probably sized for the short bays in a B-1.

View attachment 754118

Just realized that this might have also been for the B-52. That's a SRAM rotary launcher, most likely.

Edit: This Tomahawk is probably just about 168 inches, the same length as SCAD and the ADM-68A ALCM, sized as an alternative load for the SRAM launchers on both the B-52 and the B-1.

 

[A Tentative Fleet Plan]

The short Tomahawk on a rotary launcher (described as a wired test stand) is interesting. Probably sized for the short bays in a B-1.

View attachment 754118

Other images state it's for the B-52's SRAM launcher.

 

[TomS]

Other images state it's for the B-52's SRAM launcher.

Yeah, I got there eventually. But thanks for the images; those are amazing.

 

[zjz]

SDASM Archives is a treasure trove for "Tomahawk" historian wanna-be ....

 

[zjz]

Flickr is a bit difficult for me to navigate, but I found a few albums with cruise missile contents :

General Dynamics BGM-109 Tomahawk Album

Images of the General Dynamics Tomahawk

www.flickr.com

General Dynamics MRASM

Medium Range Air to Surface Missile

www.flickr.com

General Dynamics ALCM

Agm-86 alcm

www.flickr.com

General Dynamics GLCM Images

BGM-109G Ground Launched Cruise Missile

www.flickr.com

Robert Kemp Collection

Images from the Robert Kemp Collection, graciously donated by Willis and Claudia Allen of Allen Airways Flying Museum. Robert Kemp was the chief illustrator at General Dynamics.

www.flickr.com

 

[fightingirish]

FYI, another new stack of pictures showing AGM/BGM-109 Tomahawk during its early development were uploaded at the SDASM Flickr archive today.
Here some appetisers.
Tomahawk missile concept art

https://flic.kr/p/2qEgQNi

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qEgQNi

Supersonic sprint missile

https://flic.kr/p/2qEj1qQ

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qEj1qQ

Tomahawk missile variant model, notice the swing wing.

https://flic.kr/p/2qEgQKH

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qEgQKH

ASW Tomahawk missile concept

https://flic.kr/p/2qEi1JR

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qEi1JR

https://flic.kr/p/2qEi1JL

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qEi1JL

https://flic.kr/p/2qEgR3G

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qEgR3G

ASW Tomahawk missile model with sonobuoys and a lightweight Mark 50 torpedo

https://flic.kr/p/2qEi1Kc

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qEi1Kc

Transport test of a Tomahawk missile mock-up on the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63).

https://flic.kr/p/2qEi1oS

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qEi1oS

 

[TomS]

OK, There are so many interesting things there.

1) Supersonic sprint missile. I can see why this one didn't progress. At 3-5 nm, it probably separates too late to really help except maybe against CIWS.

2) The various Tomahawk ASW models are neat, and this wasn't the last time they would come up. But "multiple nuclear" warheads? Presumably a boomer killer, because it's gross overkill for anything else. They also sneak in a reference to a half-length heavyweight torp (HLHWT) -- that Mk 39 we have talked about.

The version with ALWT and sonobuoys for end-game is very close the the version that came around again in the 1990s, and actually makes a good bit of sense, assuming you are confident in your buoys. The cutaway shows the basic principle -- a bunch of compact passive buoys and a larger active acoustic source (quite likely something like an EER buoy with small explosive noisemakers).

 

[TomS]

The version with ALWT and sonobuoys for end-game is very close the the version that came around again in the 1990s, and actually makes a good bit of sense, assuming you are confident in your buoys. The cutaway shows the basic principle -- a bunch of compact passive buoys and a larger active acoustic source (quite likely something like an EER buoy with small explosive noisemakers).

This pic from the reverse angle adds another neat feature. The red shape is tagged as a BDA Buoy, which would presumably be listening for sounds of a successful engagement by the torpedo payload.

By my count, this has 20 small sonobouys, plus the acoustic source and BDA Buoy, which are both double-size.

https://flic.kr/p/2qEcfUa

View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/54253478177/in/photostream/

 

[Scott Kenny]

OK, There are so many interesting things there.

1) Supersonic sprint missile. I can see why this one didn't progress. At 3-5 nm, it probably separates too late to really help except maybe against CIWS.

Yeah, I think you need to be supersonic as soon as you clear the radar horizon to the target, let's call it 30nmi. Not 3nmi!

This pic from the reverse angle adds another neat feature. The red shape is tagged as a BDA Buoy, which would presumably be listening for sounds of a successful engagement by the torpedo payload.

By my count, this has 20 small sonobouys, plus the acoustic source and BDA Buoy, which are both double-size.

https://flic.kr/p/2qEcfUa

View: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/54253478177/in/photostream/

Oh, that would have been wicked for a "conventional SUBROC" replacement...

 

[Mark Nankivil]

FYI, another new stack of pictures showing AGM/BGM-109 Tomahawk during its early development were uploaded at the SDASM Flickr archive today.
Here some appetisers.
Tomahawk missile concept art

https://flic.kr/p/2qEgQNi

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qEgQNi

Supersonic sprint missile

https://flic.kr/p/2qEj1qQ

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qEj1qQ

Tomahawk missile variant model, notice the swing wing.

https://flic.kr/p/2qEgQKH

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qEgQKH

ASW Tomahawk missile concept

https://flic.kr/p/2qEi1JR

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qEi1JR

https://flic.kr/p/2qEi1JL

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qEi1JL

https://flic.kr/p/2qEgR3G

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qEgR3G

ASW Tomahawk missile model with sonobuoys and a lightweight Mark 50 torpedo

https://flic.kr/p/2qEi1Kc

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qEi1Kc

Transport test of a Tomahawk missile mock-up on the USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63).

https://flic.kr/p/2qEi1oS

View: https://flic.kr/p/2qEi1oS

A few more from SDASM to add to the Supersonic Sprint variant....

Enjoy the Day! Mark

 

[TomS]

A few more from SDASM to add to the Supersonic Sprint variant....

Enjoy the Day! Mark

I'm not convinced the pointed nose version is the supersonic sprint variant. The presentation drawing of the supersonic version shows a round nose and a noticable pinch where the sprint vehicle would mate to the cruise stage.

I can't definitely figure out what that variable geometry one is supposed to show. It could be a different high-speed variant, certainly. But I also wonder if it's a different approach to handling wing stowage, reducing the lost volume inside the fuselage, with the tradeoff that this configuration is only suitable for external carriage and air launch.