Regulus I Missile

Soon after World War II, the U.S. Navy turned to submarines as mobile, covert platforms for launching nuclear missiles, and the Regulus I, designed by the Chance Vought Aircraft Company, became its first operational cruise missile. Propelled by a jet engine, Regulus I could carry either conventional or nuclear warheads; its most powerful warhead, the W27, had a yield of two megatons, more than 100 times the explosive force of World War II nuclear bombs. The missile used a radar control system known as TROUNCE to guide it to its target or to a second control source. Five submarines, including Growler, carried Regulus missiles and together conducted about 40 deterrent patrols in the western Pacific Ocean from 1959 to 1964. Regulus was also deployed on aircraft carriers and heavy cruisers. It was removed from service in 1964 and replaced by Polaris ballistic missiles in newer George Washington-class submarines. Because Polaris used solid-fuel propellant, it could be launched from a submerged submarine, while jet-powered cruise missiles such as Regulus had to be launched from the surface, giving Polaris and its submarines advantages in stealth, speed, payload, range, and guidance.

New York, New York · United States