RUR-4 Weapon Alpha




"Weapon Alpha" redirects here. For the Marvel Comics superhero of the same name, see Guardian (Marvel Comics).








































































Weapon Alpha

USS Norfolk (DL-1) underway in Hampton Roads on 6 September 1955 (NH 94158).jpg

USS Norfolk (DL-1) was one of the few ships outfitted with Weapon Alpha. Two of the four mounts can be seen side-by-side forward of the bridge.

Type standoff anti-submarine rocket
Place of origin United States
Service history
In service 1951–1969
Used by United States Navy
Japan
Production history
Designer Naval Ordnance Test Station
Designed 1946–1950
Specifications (Mark 1)
Mass 525 pounds (238 kg)
Length 8 feet 6 inches (2.6 m)
Diameter 12.75 inches (324 mm)
Warhead High explosive
Warhead weight 250 pounds (110 kg)
Detonation
mechanism
 Depth charge
Engine 5.25 in (133 mm) rocket
Propellant Solid fuel
Operational
range
 800 yards (730 m)
Speed 190 miles per hour (310 km/h)

The RUR-4 "Weapon Alpha" (originally Weapon Able) was an American naval ahead-throwing ASW rocket launcher. It was designed between 1946 and 1950 and was installed on warships from 1951 to 1969. It was designed to attack enemy submarines without requiring the attacking ship to be located directly above the submarine being attacked.


Similar to the earlier American Mousetrap, 375mm (14.8") Swedish Bofors, and 250mm (9.8") and 300mm (11.8") Soviet systems, all of which use multiple rockets, Weapon Alpha was developed toward the end of World War II, in response to the German Type XXI U-boat. Begun in a crash program in 1944–5 and put in service before undergoing operational evaluation, it emerged in 1950 as a 227-kg (500 lb) 127mm (5") rocket with a 113-kg (250 lb) warhead that sank at 12 m/s (40 ft/s) (compared to a depth charge, which sank at 2.7–5 m/s (8.9–16.5 ft/s)[1]), an influence or time pistol, and a range of 360–730 m (400–800 yd). Coupled to the new SQG-1 depth-finding sonar (for setting the time fuse, rather than the hydrostatic pistol of a depth charge), it was to be fired from a revolving Mark 108 launcher (with 22 rounds of ready ammunition) at up to twelve rounds per minute. The ready-service magazine could not be reloaded while Weapon Alpha was in use.


It was replaced by ASROC (RUR-5), which was developed by U.S. Navy in the 1950s. Nonetheless, Weapon Alpha remained in service through the 1960s until supplanted by ASROC.[2]






  • A dismounted Mk 108 launcher at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum.







  • The RUR-4's rocket round.







  • RUR-4 launch from USS Wilkinson (DL-5), 1956.






References





  1. ^ Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. "Depth Charge", in Encyclopedia of Twentieth Century Weapons and Warfare (London: Phoebus Publishing Co, 1978), Volume 7, p. 730.


  2. ^ Friedman, Norman (May 1997). The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapons Systems, 1997-1998. Annapolis, Maryland United States: United States Naval Institute Press. p. 668. ISBN 1-55750-268-4..mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"""""""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Lock-green.svg/9px-Lock-green.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-gray-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg/9px-Lock-red-alt-2.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration{color:#555}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription span,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration span{border-bottom:1px dotted;cursor:help}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/12px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png")no-repeat;background-position:right .1em center}.mw-parser-output code.cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:inherit;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#33aa33;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-subscription,.mw-parser-output .cs1-registration,.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right,.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-wl-right{padding-right:0.2em}




Sources



  • Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. Encyclopedia of Twentieth Century Weapons and Warfare (London: Phoebus Publishing Co, 1978), "Weapon Alpha", Volume 24, p. 2589.

  • Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. Encyclopedia of Twentieth Century Weapons and Warfare (London: Phoebus Publishing Co, 1978), "Mousetrap", Volume 19, pp. 1946-7.

  • Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. Encyclopedia of Twentieth Century Weapons and Warfare (London: Phoebus Publishing Co, 1978), "Depth Charge", Volume 7, p. 730.


  • Parsch, Andreas (2002). "NOTS RUR-4 Weapon Alpha". Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. designation-systems.net. Retrieved 2011-01-28.

  • DiGiulian, Tony Navweaps.com US ASW weapons page



External links



  • Media related to RUR-4 Weapon Alpha at Wikimedia Commons









-

Popular posts from this blog

Guess what letter conforming each word

Image
6 $begingroup$ This is an entry in the Fortnightly Topic Challenge #41: Short and Sweet. 1 letter only could be mean anything . With an additional letter in front , could be used as medicine component and something you definitely learn or at least heard once. Add another letter in front , you would possibly hear that many times . Add an additional letter in front , you would found an independent country . With an additional letter, in the end , you would found something related to apple . Add another letter in the end , you would found something bad . Hint: Each letter is unique . word knowledge letters chemistry share | improve this question ...
Read more

Port of Spain

Image
For ports in the country of Spain, see List of ports in Spain. City in City of Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago Port of Spain City City of Port of Spain Top to bottom (left to right): Skyline of Port of Spain from Gulf of Paria; National Academy for the Performing Arts, Independence Square, Eric Williams Plaza; MovieTowne, Port of Port of Spain Motto(s):  "We Gather Strength As We Go Along" Port of Spain Coordinates: 10°40′N 61°31′W  /  10.667°N 61.517°W  / 10.667; -61.517 Coordinates: 10°40′N 61°31′W  /  10.667°N 61.517°W  / 10.667; -61.517 Country   Trinidad and Tobago Jurisdiction City of Port of Spain Settled 1560 Incorporated (town) 1853 Incorporated (city) 1914 Government  • Mayor Joel Martinez  • Governing body City Corporation Area [1]  • City 12 km 2 (5 sq mi) Elevation [2] 66 m (217 ft) Population (2011) [1]  • City 37,074  • Rank 3rd  • Density 3,090/km 2 (8,000/sq mi)...
Read more

Run scheduled task as local user group (not BUILTIN)

Image
0 I am trying to run a scheduled task with User Group (not a single user). This is working fine when I in the field "when running a task, use the following user account:" insert BUILTIN User Group (for example: Administrators or Users). But when I try it with the created Local User Group (example: TestGroup) it is not working. The Users in the TestGroup are the same as in the Administrators group. What could be the problem? Are there some restrictions to the Created User Group compared to BUILTINUsers? scheduled-tasks taskscheduler windowstaskschedule share | improve this question asked Nov 15 '18 at 15:36 Far...
Read more