After the appearance of nuclear weapons in the United States, American admirals were very jealous of the fact that long-range bombers were their carriers at the first stage. Soon after the first combat use of atomic bombs, the naval command began to actively lobby for the development of weapons with nuclear warheads suitable for deployment on warships and carrier-based aircraft. The naval commanders of the US Navy remembered very well how difficult the confrontation with the Japanese naval forces in the Pacific was for the US Navy, and therefore it seemed very tempting the possibility of destroying a compound of warships or a transport convoy of the enemy with one bomb or torpedo. No less attractive was the idea of breaking through a single deck bomber with an atomic bomb at high altitude at night to naval bases or other strategic targets. This made it possible to neutralize targets with one blow, for the destruction or incapacitation of which it was often required to make hundreds of sorties and use dozens of large warships.
A reflection of the fact that the development of nuclear weapons suitable for use against naval targets in the late 1940s was one of the priority programs, was the series of nuclear tests Crossroads. During tests in the lagoon of the Pacific Bikini Atoll, part of the Marshall Islands, two plutonium implosive charges with a capacity of 23 kt were detonated. 95 ships were used as targets. The target ships were four battleships, two aircraft carriers, two cruisers, eleven destroyers, eight submarines, and numerous landing and auxiliary vessels. For the most part, these were obsolete American ships intended for decommissioning due to obsolescence and resource depletion. However, the trials involved three ships captured from Japan and Germany. Before the tests, the ships were loaded with the usual amount of fuel and ammunition for them, as well as various measuring instruments. Experimental animals were housed on several target ships. In total, more than 150 ships and a staff of 44,000 people were involved in the testing process. Foreign observers, including from the USSR, were invited to the tests.
On July 1, 1946, at 09:00 local time, an atomic bomb was dropped from a B-29 bomber onto a group of ships standing in the bowl of the atoll. Missing from the aiming point during bombing exceeded 600 m. As a result of the explosion, codenamed Able, five ships sank: two landing ships, two destroyers and a cruiser. In addition to five sunken ships, fourteen more were seriously damaged. When considering the test results, it was noted that destroyer-class ships, if there are no flammable materials and ammunition on their decks, are quite strong targets and at a distance of over 1500 m with an air explosion power of about 20 kt have a real chance of surviving. Much better results in the damaging factors of a nuclear explosion were demonstrated by armored battleships and cruisers. Thus, the battleship Nevada remained afloat, although it was at a distance of 562 m from the epicenter, but at the same time a significant part of the experimental animals on board died from the penetrating radiation. The aircraft carriers proved to be very vulnerable, on the upper decks of which aircraft with refueled fuel tanks were placed. During the air explosion, the submarines, whose robust hull was designed to withstand significant pressure, practically did not suffer.
The results of the Able explosion were discouraging for the US military in many ways. It turned out that warships, in the event of minimal preparation for the impact of the damaging factors of an air nuclear explosion, are not as vulnerable as it was believed. In addition, when moving in a marching order and bombing them from a height that is safe for an atomic bomb carrier aircraft, after dropping, they have a real chance of evading and leaving the zone of critical damage. Studies carried out on ships that were in the affected area showed that after decontamination they are quite suitable for refurbishment, while the induced secondary radiation resulting from exposure to neutron radiation was considered low.
During the second test, codenamed Baker, held on July 25 at 8.35 local time, an underwater nuclear explosion was made. The plutonium charge was suspended from the bottom of the USS LSM-60 landing craft, anchored in the middle of a fleet doomed to destruction.
As a result of this test, 8 ships were sunk. The German captured cruiser "Prince Eugen", which received severe damage to the hull, sank later, as the high level of radiation prevented repair work. Three more sinking ships were towed to the shore and thrown into shallow water.
Underwater detonation of an atomic charge demonstrated that a submarine equipped with torpedoes with a nuclear warhead poses an even greater danger to a large formation of warships than a bomber carrying free-fall atomic bombs. The underwater part of cruisers, aircraft carriers, and battleships is not covered by thick armor and is therefore very vulnerable to a hydraulic shock wave. At a distance of 6 km from the point of the explosion, a 5-meter wave was recorded, capable of overturning or overwhelming small floating craft. In an underwater explosion, the strong hull of submerged submarines was as vulnerable as the underwater part of the hull of other ships. Two submarines, submerged at a distance of 731 and 733 m, were sunk. In contrast to the air explosion, in which most of the fission products rose into the stratosphere and dispersed, after an underwater explosion, the ships involved in the Baker tests received severe radiation contamination, which made it impossible to carry out repair and restoration work.
The analysis of the materials of the Baker test took more than six months, after which the American admirals came to the conclusion that underwater nuclear explosions are extremely dangerous for warships, especially those at the docks of naval bases. Subsequently, on the basis of the results obtained during the air and underwater explosion, recommendations were issued for the protection of ships in a marching order and at a stop against nuclear weapons. Also, the test results largely served as a starting point for the development of nuclear depth charges, sea mines and torpedoes. As a group means of destruction of warships when using aviation nuclear ammunition with air detonation on them, it was considered more rational to use not free-falling bombs dropped from heavy bombers vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire and fighters, but high-speed cruise missiles.
However, in addition to preparing for naval battles, American admirals, who traditionally compete for the military budget with the Air Force, demonstrated strategic ambitions. Until the end of the 50s, when intercontinental ballistic missiles appeared, long-range bombers were the main means of delivering nuclear weapons, requiring extended capital strips and large air bases with a developed infrastructure for takeoff and landing. In these conditions, in the eyes of the staff officers involved in planning strategic nuclear strikes, floating airfields looked like a completely acceptable alternative: the numerous aircraft carriers in the US Navy. The matter was small, it was required to create a deck bomber capable of reaching targets deep in the territory of a potential enemy. While the designers of the largest American aircraft manufacturers were hastily developing long-range deck-based aircraft, they adopted a Lockheed P2V-3C Neptune aircraft adapted for takeoff from the deck of an aircraft carrier, converted from an anti-submarine aircraft, as a temporary measure.
To ensure the takeoff of the "Neptune" from the aircraft carrier, eight solid-propellant JATO boosters were placed in the tail section, which created a thrust of 35 tons in 12 seconds. The long flight range and the ability to take off from an aircraft carrier anywhere in the world ocean made it an ideal carrier of atomic weapons. In addition to the new Wright R-3350-26W Cyclone-18 engines with a capacity of 3200 hp each. each aircraft received increased gas tanks and an AN / ASB-1 radar bombsight. All weapons except the tail 20-mm turret were dismantled. The use of the Mk. VIII atomic bomb was envisaged as a "payload". with a capacity of 14 kt. This aviation nuclear weapon was in many ways similar to the uranium bomb "Malysh" dropped on Hiroshima. Its length was about three meters, a diameter of 0.62 m and a weight of 4.1 tons. Due to the total fuel capacity of about 14,000 liters, the aircraft with a take-off weight of more than 33 tons had a flight range exceeding 8,000 km. During the tests, "Neptune", which took off from the deck of an aircraft carrier and dropped it in the middle of the route, covered a total distance of 7240 km, having stayed in the air for 23 hours. But at the same time, the aircraft did not have the ability to land on an aircraft carrier. After the bombardment, he had to land on a land airfield or the crew was dropped by parachute near the ship. The idea of creating such a carrier-based aircraft was apparently inspired by the history of the Doolittle Raid, when in 1942 American twin-engine North American B-25 Mitchell bombers, taking off from the USS Hornet (CV-8) aircraft carrier, attacked Japan.
The first launch from the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea (CV-43) with a mass and size model of a bomb weighing 4500 kg took place on March 7, 1949. The takeoff weight of the P2V-3C was more than 33 tons. At that time, it was the heaviest aircraft to take off from an aircraft carrier. In six months, 30 take-offs were performed from three Midway-class aircraft carriers.
The decks of these ships were reinforced, in addition, special equipment for assembling atomic bombs was placed on the ships. Since the first nuclear charges were very imperfect and security measures required the final assembly of nuclear weapons immediately before loading onto the bomber.
In total, 12 Neptuns were converted into carriers of deck-based nuclear bombs. In terms of flight range, the P2V-3C was superior to the American strategic bomber Boeing B-29 Superfortress, which at that time was the main striking force of the US Air Force's Strategic Aviation Command. At the same time, "Neptune", equipped with two piston engines, flew at a cruising speed of 290 km / h and, after dropping the combat load, developed a maximum speed of 540 km / h. An aircraft with such a flight speed was vulnerable even to piston fighters and, given the equipment of the fighter regiments of the USSR Air Force with jet interceptors and the mass production of radars, had little chance of completing a combat mission.
Since the "Neptune" was too heavy and was not originally designed to be based on aircraft carriers, its use as a carrier-based carrier of an atomic bomb was largely a forced improvisation. Soon, converted into nuclear bombers were ousted from American aircraft carriers by the specially created North American AJ-1 Savage deck bomber.
Although the tests of the aircraft were accompanied by a series of accidents and disasters, it was nevertheless accepted into service in 1950 and produced in an amount of 55 copies. An interesting feature of the aircraft was the presence of a combined power plant. In addition to two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-44 piston air-cooled engines with a capacity of 2400 hp, the aircraft also had an Allison J33-A-10 turbojet engine with a nominal thrust of 20 kN, which was used on takeoff or, if necessary, to increase the flight speed … For strength reasons, the Savage's maximum take-off weight was limited to 23160 kg. At the same time, the combat radius of action reached 1650 km. The maximum bomb load was 5,400 kg, in addition to bombs, mines and torpedoes, the deck bomber could carry in the inner compartment a nuclear bomb Mk. VI with a capacity of 20 kt, weighing 4.5 tons and a length of 3.2 m. the bow contained a pair of 20-mm cannons. Crew - 3 people.
Although the Savage's combat radius was more than twice inferior to the bomber version of the Neptune, the American naval commanders, if necessary, planned to use it to deliver nuclear strikes against strategic targets. Operating from the Mediterranean Sea, the AJ-1s could reach the southern regions of the USSR, and in the event of the transfer of aircraft carriers to the North, the Baltic, Murmansk and Leningrad regions were within reach. The maximum flight speed with the turbojet engine turned on reached 790 km / h, which, given the lack of defensive weapons, did not inspire much optimism when meeting with Soviet jet fighters. Since the bomber could not compete in speed and maneuverability with the MiG-15, the Americans refrained from using it in the Korean War. Nevertheless, the AJ-1 squadron with a stock of nuclear bombs in 1953 was stationed at an airbase in South Korea.
Although the aircraft was rapidly becoming obsolete, for lack of a better fleet, in 1952 it ordered an additional batch of 55 modernized AJ-2s, on which Pratt & Whitney R-2800-48 engines with a capacity of 2500 hp were installed, navigation equipment and communications were updated, and the shortcomings identified during the operation of the early model were eliminated. All previously built Savages were converted into the same modification. In 1962, in connection with the introduction of a new aircraft marking system, the aircraft received the designation A-2B. In addition to the bomber version, 30 AJ-2R photo reconnaissance aircraft were also built. The modernized aircraft featured a modified nose section.
Due to its considerable mass and dimensions, the Savage could only be operated on the largest American aircraft carriers. In view of the haste during the tests, the bomber was adopted for service very "raw", with many imperfections and "children's sores". Although the wing consoles could be folded, the aircraft still took up a lot of space on the aircraft carrier, and the bloated fuselage caused a lot of inconvenience during maintenance. By the late 1950s, in the era of jet aircraft, a carrier-based nuclear weapon with two piston engines looked archaic.
After reviewing the projects, preference was given to Douglas. One of the defining aspects of the aircraft's appearance was the size of the bomb compartment (4570 mm), which was directly related to the dimensions of the first nuclear bombs. To achieve high speed parameters, the aircraft was equipped with two turbojet engines mounted on pylons under a wing with a sweep angle of 36 °. Depending on the modification, the engines of the Pratt & Whitney J57 family with a thrust from 4400 to 5624 kg were used on the bombers. For the start of a heavily loaded bomber from the deck of an aircraft carrier or strips of limited length, from the very beginning, the use of JATO solid-propellant boosters was envisaged. But due to the fact that the jet jet damaged the paintwork of the aircraft, in practice they were rarely used. To ensure aimed bombing at visually invisible targets, the AN / ASB-1A radar sighting system was introduced into the avionics.
The first flight of the XA3D-1 prototype took place on October 28, 1952, and was officially adopted in 1956. The aircraft, which received the designation A3D Skywarrior (English Heavenly Warrior), in addition to the bomber version, was developed as a photo reconnaissance aircraft, an electronic reconnaissance aircraft and electronic warfare.
Although the A3D-1 Skywarrior was actually a full-fledged bomber, for political reasons, in order not to compete with the long-range bombers of the Air Force and not lose funding, the admirals in charge of the naval aviation assigned the carrier-based bomber an "assault" designation.
The Sky Warrior was the heaviest carrier-based aircraft in the US Navy. For the solid weight, size and "bloated" fuselage in the fleet he was dubbed the "Whale". However, for the second half of the 50s, the seemingly clumsy "Kit" had very good characteristics. The aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of 31,750 kg had a combat radius of 2,185 km (with a bomb load of 1,837 kg). Maximum speed at high altitude - 982 km / h, cruising speed - 846 km / h. Due to the fact that atomic bombs became lighter and more compact as they improved, two "items" could fit into a spacious bomb bay with a length of more than 4.5 m. Maximum bomb load: 5,440 kg. In addition to 227-907 kg of bombs, there was the possibility of suspending sea mines. To protect the rear hemisphere in the aft part of the aircraft, there was a remotely controlled defensive installation of two 20-mm radar-guided cannons. The responsibility for repelling the attacks of fighters was assigned to the avionics operator, whose workplace was located behind the glazed cockpit. The Kit's crew consisted of three people: a pilot, a navigator-bombardier and an operator of radio equipment. Since the bomber was planned to be used at medium and high altitudes, the designers decided to reduce the weight of the aircraft by abandoning ejection seats. It was believed that the crew should have enough time to leave the plane on their own. Taking into account the rather high accident rate at the development stage, this did not add popularity to the aircraft among the flight crew. It is noteworthy that the crew of the B-66 Destroyer bomber, created on the basis of the "Heavenly War" by order of the Air Force, was equipped with catapults.
The Skywarrior was serially built from 1956 to 1961. In total, 282 aircraft were built together with prototypes and prototypes. The most advanced bomber modification was the A3D-2. On this machine, in favor of jamming equipment, there was a rejection of the aft remote-controlled firing installation, and the bombing accuracy was increased due to the introduction of the AN / ASB-7 radar. The strength of the airframe was also increased and more powerful J-57-P-10 engines with a thrust of 5625 kgf were installed, which made it possible to bring the maximum speed to 1007 km / h and increase the bomb load to 5811 kg. In 1962, in connection with the introduction of a simplified designation system, this machine was named A-3B Skywarrior.
The modernization did not help the "Kit" much, and in the early 60s, after the appearance of the A-5A Vigilante carrier-based bombers, the role of the A-3 Skywarrior as a carrier of nuclear weapons dropped sharply. However, American admirals were in no hurry to abandon very durable aircraft with roomy bomb bays, entrusting them with performing tactical tasks. Simultaneously with the operation of strike vehicles, some of the bombers were converted into photo reconnaissance aircraft, tankers, electronic reconnaissance and electronic warfare aircraft, and even into VA-3B passenger aircraft, capable of landing on the deck of an aircraft carrier - for emergency delivery of senior command personnel.
After the outbreak of the war in Southeast Asia, deck-based A-3Vs in the period from 1964 to 1967 were involved in carrying out shock missions and mining the territorial waters of the DRV. Due to the presence of a sufficiently advanced radar bomber sight, the crew of the "Kit" could carry out bombing with high accuracy at night and in low cloud conditions. The A-3B Skywarrior was the only American carrier-based aircraft that could take four 907 kg bombs. However, rather large and relatively low-maneuverable "Whales" suffered sensitive losses from the North Vietnamese air defense, which, thanks to massive Soviet aid, was strengthened every day. After the Americans lost several Skywarriors from anti-aircraft fire and fighters, the admirals began to send more high-speed and maneuverable aircraft to bombard the territory of North Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh Trails and Viet Cong bases.
At the same time, the Whales have demonstrated their usefulness as refuellers. KA-3B Skywarrior retained powerful jamming stations in the voluminous fuselage and could cover the aircraft of the strike group. The equipment on board the RA-3B scouts made it possible to track the movements of partisan groups in South Vietnam and Laos. The ERA-3B electronic reconnaissance and electronic warfare aircraft, being outside the air defense zone, determined the coordinates of the North Vietnamese radars, air defense systems and batteries of anti-aircraft guns with radar guidance with sufficient accuracy.
It so happened that the Skywarrior was much outlived by the supersonic Vigilent, which replaced it. Operation of the A-3B, converted into tankers, and electronic warfare aircraft officially continued in the US Navy until 1991. Several specially modified ERA-3Bs from the 33rd Electronic Warfare Training Squadron were used by the US Navy as exercise jammers and Soviet cruise missile bombers. For this purpose, special simulators were suspended on airplanes that reproduce the operation of radar seeker. Along with the US Navy insignia, the "electronic aggressors" ERA-3B carried red stars.
After the official decommissioning, the Whales flew actively for about 10 more years. Machines with a significant resource were handed over to Westinghouse and Raytheon, where they were used to test aircraft weapons and test various electronic systems.
After the onset of the "jet era", in the 50s of the last century, there was an explosive growth in the characteristics of combat aircraft. And the maximum flight speed of the A-3 Skywarrior, designed in the late 40s, could no longer guarantee that the subsonic carrier-based bomber would be able to evade attacks from fighters. For a guaranteed breakthrough of a nuclear weapon carrier to a target, American admirals needed an aircraft with speed data that were not inferior to, or even superior to, promising interceptors only being developed in the USSR. That is, to carry out a combat mission to deliver an atomic bomb, a deck bomber was needed, capable of accelerating at high altitudes up to a speed of more than 2000 km / h and with a combat radius at the level of A3 Skywarrior. The creation of such a machine turned out to be a very difficult task, which required the use of fundamentally new design solutions.
In the post-war period, a rivalry developed between the Air Force and the US Navy for the most "tasty" pieces of the military budget. Naval admirals and air force generals have fought over who gets America's nuclear stick. At the first stage, long-range bombers were the main carriers of atomic bombs. In the 1950s, it seemed to many that nuclear charges were a "superweapon" capable of solving both tactical and strategic tasks. In these conditions, there was a real threat of a large-scale reduction of the American fleet. And the case concerned not only battleships and heavy cruisers, which in the "atomic era" with their large-caliber guns seemed prehistoric dinosaurs, but also very new aircraft carriers. In Congress and the Senate, voices were growing louder, calling for the abandonment of much of the "outdated" legacy of World War II, concentrating efforts on "modern" types of weapons: nuclear bombers and missiles. The American admirals had to prove that the fleet can also solve strategic tasks of delivering nuclear strikes and that aircraft carriers can play a major role in this.
In 1955, the Navy announced a competition for the development of a combat aircraft suitable for operation from heavy aircraft carriers of the Forrestal type and the projected nuclear Enterprise. The new carrier-based bomber was supposed to be able to carry out missions using nuclear weapons at supersonic flight speeds, regardless of the time of day and weather conditions.
The winner of the competition was the North American company, which in June 1956 received an order for the construction of prototypes with the designation YA3J-1. The aircraft, which received the brand name Vigilante (English Vigilante), took off for the first time on August 31, 1958. To achieve superiority over competitors, North American specialists took a considerable risk and created a very high-tech twin-engine aircraft. Distinctive features of this machine were: fly-by-wire control system, the presence of a digital computer on board, box-shaped adjustable air intakes, an internal bomb bay between the engines, a wing without ailerons and an all-turning vertical tail. To obtain high weight perfection, titanium alloys were widely used in the aircraft design.
The prototype carrier-based bomber demonstrated outstanding flight performance. The aircraft, equipped with two General Electric J79-GE-2 turbojet engines with a thrust of 4658 kgf without forcing and 6870 kgf with afterburner, at an altitude of 12000 m accelerated to 2020 km / h. Subsequently, after installing more powerful General Electric J79-GE-4 engines with afterburner thrust of 7480 kgc, the maximum speed reached 2128 km / h. The maximum flight speed at the ground was 1107 km / h. Cruising speed - 1018 km / h. The ceiling is 15900 m. The aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of 28615 kg and one hydrogen bomb in the inner compartment had a combat radius of 2414 km (with outboard fuel tanks and without switching to supersonic mode). When performing supersonic throws, the combat radius did not exceed 1750 km. The crew consisted of two people: the pilot and the navigator-bombardier, who also performed the duties of the avionics operator. "Vigilent" did not have small arms and cannon weapons, its invulnerability was to be achieved by high flight speed and the use of a powerful AN / ALQ-41 jamming station and dropped dipole reflectors. Also, in addition to standard HF and VHF radio stations, the avionics included: AN / ASB-12 radar bombsight, with which it was also possible to make terrain mapping and AN / APR-18 inertial navigation system. The control of the onboard radio-electronic equipment, the solution of navigation problems and the calculation of corrections during bombing were carried out by the VERDAN onboard computer. Initially, the bomber was "sharpened" under the Mark 27 free-fall thermonuclear bomb, with a capacity of 2 Mt. This "special" aircraft ammunition had a diameter of 760 mm, a length of 1490 mm and a mass of 1500 kg. During the operation of the bomber, a less bulky hydrogen bomb B28 was introduced into its arsenal, which, depending on the modification, weighed 773-1053 kg and had options with a capacity of 1 Mt, 350 kt, 70 kt. Towards the end of its career, Vidzhelent could carry a B43 thermonuclear bomb with a yield of 70 kt to 1 Mt.
During operation, it turned out that the suspension of bombs on the underwing pylons had practically no effect on the controllability of the aircraft. As a result, it was considered acceptable to place two B43 bombs on an external sling. However, due to the increased frontal resistance, the flight range decreased, and in order to avoid excessive heating of thermonuclear ammunition, speed limits were imposed. Since the bomber was created exclusively as a carrier of nuclear weapons, its combat load, taking into account its mass and dimensions, was relatively small - 3600 kg.
After the experimental prototypes were able to confirm the design characteristics, in early 1959 followed by an order for 9 pre-production A3J-1 Vigilante. The flight of the aircraft intended for military tests took place in the spring of 1960, and the first batch of Vigilents was handed over to the customer in June 1960. During the trial operation, a "bouquet" of various kinds of defects and numerous failures of complex electronics were revealed. However, these were the inevitable "growing pains" inherent in all new machines without exception. Taking into account the fact that there were a lot of fundamentally new technical solutions in the Vigilent design, it was difficult to expect otherwise. Also during the tests, it was noted that providing A3J-1 flights from aircraft carriers is associated with great difficulties. In the course of preparing the aircraft for departure, it was required to spend more than 100 man-hours.
Due to the large mass, the steam catapults and aerofiners were working to the limit, and the Vigilent took up too much space on the deck. Landing required high skill from the pilots. In general, the tests confirmed the very high characteristics of the promising deck bomber and its viability. Having ordered the North American firm to eliminate the main remarks, the US Navy signed a contract for 48 production aircraft.
During 1961, the personnel of three combat squadrons began to master the serial A3J-1 Vigilante. Despite the efforts of the manufacturer, refusals of complex equipment rained down continuously, and the cost of operation went off scale. Given the fact that one Vigelant cost the US military about $ 10 million, it was necessary to spend several million more dollars a year to maintain the aircraft in working order, equip the infrastructure and train flight technical personnel. At the same time, the cost of the McDonnell Douglas F-4B Phantom II carrier-based fighter cost $ 2.5 million. Besides, the new bomber was frankly out of luck. Even before the A3J-1 was adopted, the USS George Washington (SSBN-598) nuclear submarine with 16 UGM-27A Polaris ballistic missiles entered service with the fleet. The launch range of the Polaris A1 SLBM was 2,200 km - that is, about the same as the combat radius of the carrier-based bomber. But at the same time, the boat, being on alert, in a submerged position, could, covertly approaching the enemy coast, within a relatively short period of time, shoot with all the ammunition. It is no secret that the location of the American aircraft carrier strike groups has always been the subject of close scrutiny of the Soviet Navy's reconnaissance, and the AUG had much less chances to approach our shore imperceptibly than the SSBNs. In addition, when performing strategic tasks, Vigilent, as a rule, carried only one thermonuclear bomb, albeit a megaton class. The ability to perform supersonic throws did not guarantee complete invulnerability from interceptors equipped with radars and guided missiles and anti-aircraft missile systems, which in the 60s began to be saturated in an increasing number of the Soviet air defense system. In these conditions, the command of the US Navy had to make a choice between two expensive programs: the construction of new SSBNs with SLBMs and the further production of a still very "raw" deck bomber, whose combat effectiveness was in question.
Firm "North American" tried to save the situation by developing an improved modification of the A3J-2, which managed to increase the reliability of onboard equipment, increase the fuel supply by placing an additional tank behind the gargrot and improve takeoff and landing characteristics. The armament introduced guided missiles "air-to-surface" AGM-12 Bullpup. The most noticeable difference of the new modification was the characteristic "hump" behind the cockpit and sagging on the wing. The aircraft was equipped with new J79-GE-8 engines with afterburner thrust of 7710 kgf, which made it possible to increase the maximum speed to 2230 km / h. Due to the limitations associated with maintaining the strength characteristics, it was limited to 2148 km / h. The aircraft also received an improved avionics: an AN / ALQ-100 broadband jamming station, an AN / APR-27 electronic reconnaissance station, and AN / ALR-45 radar warning equipment. Also, the manufacturer, in the case of an order by the fleet of a new modification, promised to reduce operating costs and the purchase price.
Although the flight and combat characteristics of the deck bomber, which in 1962 in connection with the transition to a single "three-digit" designation system for aircraft in the army, received the designation A-5B (early model A-5A), significantly increased, the command of the fleet decided to abandon further purchases … The previous experience of operating the Vigilent in several deck squadrons has clearly demonstrated that the new machine, with all its beauty, technical advancement and high flight performance, is practically useless for the fleet. The task for which this deck bomber was created became irrelevant, and the developer's assurances of the A-5A's ability to solve tactical tasks were not confirmed in practice. At the same time, Vidzhelent turned out to be very ruinous for the fleet, the resources that were spent on maintaining one A-5A were enough to operate three A-4 Skyhawk attack aircraft or two F-4 Phantom II fighters. In addition, the Vigelant took up too much space on the aircraft carrier, and its maintenance was always very difficult and extremely labor intensive.
In the early 60s it seemed to many that Vigilent had no future, and that it would be decommissioned from the decks of aircraft carriers very soon. It must be said that such predictions were not unfounded, since the fleet canceled an order for 18 A-5Bs. Fortunately for North American, the US Navy urgently needed a carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft with a range significantly greater than that of the Vought RF-8A Crusader. It was then that the developments on the long-range reconnaissance aircraft based on the A-5 came in handy, which started after the "Cuban missile crisis" revealed that the Navy did not have a photo reconnaissance officer capable of operating at a distance of more than 1000 km from its aircraft carrier. In addition, the Crusader, due to its modest internal volume, had a very limited set of reconnaissance equipment.
Although guided missiles and bombs were hung on the prototype of the reconnaissance aircraft during the tests, this was abandoned on production vehicles. The first RA-5Cs in 1963 were converted from the A-5A drums, and from 1964 reconnaissance aircraft began to enter the combat squadrons. In total, the RA-5C entered service with six squadrons, which, as they mastered the new technology, were sent to the combat zone in Southeast Asia.
Due to its high flight speed, the Vigilent reconnaissance aircraft was less vulnerable to Vietnamese air defense systems than other carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft. The admirals appreciated the reconnaissance capabilities, speed and range of flight, in 1969 the fleet ordered an additional 46 vehicles and the production of the RA-5C was resumed. In total, until 1971, 156 reconnaissance planes were converted from bombers and rebuilt.
In addition to cameras, which made it possible to take high-quality pictures at an altitude of up to 20,000 m, and an AN / ALQ-161 electronic intelligence station, an AN / APQ-102 side-looking radar with a range of up to 80 km or AN / APD-7 with a detection range of 130 km. In 1965, an infrared reconnaissance and mapping station AN / AAS-21 AN / AAS-21 was introduced into the reconnaissance arsenal. All reconnaissance equipment was placed in a large ventral fairing.
The RA-5C, which flew in Southeast Asia, often had to carry out very risky missions. High-speed long-range scouts were often sent to search for air defense positions and control the delivery of Soviet military aid to the DRV, clarify the targets of airstrikes in the well-defended territory of North Vietnam, and assess the results of bombing carried out by carrier-based attack aircraft. Since the Americans did not have reliable maps of the territory of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia at their disposal, the RA-5C crews, using side-looking radar, mapped the terrain in the combat zone, which had a positive effect on the accuracy of air strikes.
Although Vigilent could easily evade attacks from Vietnamese MiG-17F fighters, and at high speed and flight altitude was practically invulnerable to anti-aircraft artillery, front-line supersonic interceptors MiG-21PF / PFM / MF with K-13 guided missiles and anti-aircraft missile systems The SA-75M "Dvina" posed a great threat to him.
The first loss of a heavy carrier-based reconnaissance aircraft in Southeast Asia was recorded on December 9, 1964, when RA-5C from the 5th long-range reconnaissance squadron, taking off from the aircraft carrier USS Ranger (CVA 61), did not return from a reconnaissance flight over Vietnamese territory. On October 16, 1965, while identifying the positions of the SA-75M air defense system over North Vietnam, an RA-5C was shot down, its crew ejected and was captured. Reconnaissance missions over South Vietnam and Laos were not safe. North Vietnamese batteries of anti-aircraft guns and air defense systems covered not only objects on their territory, but also the Ho Chi Minh Trail, along which reinforcements and weapons were transferred to the South. So, on October 16, 1965, while flying at a speed of about 1M, another reconnaissance Vigilent was shot down over South Vietnam. Several more aircraft were damaged by anti-aircraft fire. After the Vietnamese had at their disposal radars, anti-aircraft guns with radar guidance and air defense systems, aircraft became very often fired upon at night, although earlier such flights were considered safe. In 1966, the scouts lost two more vehicles: one was shot down on August 19 over the port of Haiphong, the other on October 22, in the vicinity of Hanoi, "landed" the calculation of the SA-75M air defense missile system. In the first case, the crew successfully ejected in supersonic and was picked up by an American ship, the pilots of the other aircraft did not survive.
In total, according to American data, in the course of 31 one military campaign of American aircraft carriers, in the period from 1964 to 1973, American long-range reconnaissance squadrons lost 26 RA-5Cs, of which 18 were attributed to combat losses. At the same time, several cars burned out or crashed, receiving combat damage, but they were taken into account as lost in flight accidents. The main part was shot down by anti-aircraft guns, while photographing the results of the work of the strike groups. It is believed that two Vidzhelents became victims of the air defense system, and the last RA-5C, lost on December 28, 1972, was intercepted by the MiG-21.
By the mid-60s, it was possible to solve many operational problems and increase the reliability of onboard equipment to an acceptable level. Although the operating cost of the RA-5C was still very high, there was nothing to replace it with. The Americans seriously hoped to defend South Vietnam with the help of massive bombing and the fleet desperately needed long-range high-speed reconnaissance aircraft equipped with the most advanced set of reconnaissance equipment. The RA-5C aircraft, ordered in 1968, became the most advanced and sophisticated of all Vigilantes. The long-range deck reconnaissance aircraft received more advanced turbojet engines R79-GE-10 with an afterburner thrust of 8120 kgf and a modified avionics. In theory, the updated vehicle should have had the RA-5D index, but for political reasons, the order was carried out as a new batch of RA-5C. The new modification had a very high potential, which was never fully revealed. During test flights, the aircraft was able to accelerate to 2.5M at high altitude, and at the same time there was still a reserve of engine power.
The Vietnam War became the Vigelenta's swan song. Soon after the end of hostilities, in 1974, the decommissioning of the RA-5C began. The last cruise of the aircraft carrier "Ranger" with heavy scouts on board ended in September 1979. Although long-range scouts could still serve at least another 15 years without problems, the fleet decided to abandon them due to excessively high operating costs. The reason for this, oddly enough, was the too high degree of technical novelty, in fact, the aircraft was destroyed by the enormous difficulties in its operation, as well as the low reliability of the on-board systems. In addition, due to the excessively large weight, the takeoff and landing characteristics of the Vidzhelent left much to be desired, which is why the catapults and aerofiners were working on the brink of their capabilities. The losses of the RA-5C amounted to 2.5% of all combat losses of the US Navy during the war in Southeast Asia. At the same time, A-5A carrier-based bombers and RA-5C heavy reconnaissance aircraft had a depressing accident rate. In accidents and disasters, 55 aircraft of 156 built were lost. Six machines were lost during test flights, the rest were lost during flight operation. From all that has been said, it can be concluded that an outstanding aircraft in terms of its flight data, equipped with the most advanced electronic equipment at that time, turned out to be of little use for daily operation in combat units.
On the whole, the attempt of American admirals to assign strategic nuclear tasks to carrier-based aircraft was unsuccessful. For objective reasons, the number of strategic carrier-based carriers was small, and their chances of breaking through to objects deep in the territory of the USSR in the 50-60s turned out to be even less than that of the US Air Force bombers: Boeing B-47 Stratojet, Boeing B-52 Stratofortress and Convair B-58 Hustler. The adoption of intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear submarines with ballistic missiles on board actually put an end to the future of strategic deck bombers. As a result, the built aircraft were reoriented to the solution of tactical strike missions or converted into scouts, refuelers and jammers. At the same time, all American carrier-based combat aircraft, from the piston A-1 Skyraider to the modern F / A-18E / F Super Hornet, were adapted to deliver nuclear weapons. This circumstance, taking into account the possibility of refueling in the air, made it possible to solve not only tactical, but also strategic nuclear tasks.
At the end of the 40s, by order of the Navy, an atomic version of the Skyraider with the designation AD-4B was developed. This aircraft could carry Mark 7 atomic bombs. The Mark 7 nuclear bomb, created in 1951, had a power range of 1-70 kt. The total mass of the bomb, depending on the type of nuclear charge, ranged from 750 to 770 kg. For the first time in history, the dimensions and weight of the bomb made it possible to deliver it by tactical aircraft. One bomb and two outboard fuel tanks of 1136 liters each were considered a typical load for an "atomic" attack aircraft.
With the Mark 7 atomic bomb, the AD-4B's combat range was 1,440 km. The main bombing technique was dropping from a pitch-up (the pilots called this technique a "suicide loop." ballistic trajectory flew towards the target, and the attack aircraft at that time was already making a coup and escaping at maximum speed. Thus, the pilot had some reserve time to escape the target and got a chance to survive the explosion.
In the late 1940s, it became clear that the piston-powered Skyrader would not be able to compete with jet aircraft in flight speed. In this regard, the deck jet attack aircraft Douglas A4D Skyhawk (after 1962, the A-4) was originally designed as a carrier for the Mark 7 bomb, which was suspended under the central pylon.
In the 60s, combat training sorties of carrier-based aircraft with nuclear weapons were commonplace. However, after several emergencies, during which nuclear weapons were damaged or lost. So, on December 5, 1965, in the Pacific Ocean near Okinawa, an unsecured A-4 Skyhawk attack aircraft with a tactical nuclear bomb from the USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) aircraft carrier rolled into the water and sank at a depth of about 4900 meters. Subsequently, they refused to fly with nuclear weapons on board, and used inert mass and size models for training.
Subsequently, American carrier-based attack aircraft and fighters received several types of nuclear and thermonuclear bombs, including the megaton class. Describing all the "special" aircraft munitions used in the US Navy would be too time-consuming and tedious for most readers. In this regard, we will focus on the most modern American carrier-based carrier Boeing F / A-18E / F Super Hornet. This aircraft, a further development of the F / A-18C / D Hornet, entered service with the US Navy in 1999. Currently, these highly successful and versatile fighters form the basis of the combat power of the US Navy carrier-based aviation. As for nuclear weapons, the Americans have little choice today. Of the free-fall bombs that are suitable for delivery by tactical and carrier-based aircraft, only thermonuclear bombs of the B61 family remained in the nuclear arsenal.
The bomb has a welded metal body, 3580 mm long and 330 mm wide. The weight of most B61s is within 330 kg, but may vary depending on the specific modification. When dropped from a tactical or carrier-based aircraft, the bomb is equipped with a braking nylon-kevlar parachute. It is needed in order to give time for the carrier aircraft to safely leave the affected area. At the moment, bombs of the following models are formally in service: B61-3, B61-4, B61-7, B61-10, B61-11. At the same time, the B61-7 is intended for use from strategic bombers, and the B61-10 is withdrawn to the reserve. The last 11th, the most modern modification weighing about 540 kg was put into service in 1997. According to information published in open sources, about fifty B61-11 were collected in total. The greater weight of the latest serial modification compared to earlier ones is explained by the strong and thick bomb body, designed to sink into solid ground to destroy well-fortified targets located underground: missile silos, command posts, underground arsenals, etc. In terms of its effectiveness in the case of application in underground shelters, a B61-11 explosion with a capacity of up to 340 kt is equivalent to a 9 Mt charge detonated on the surface without burying. But depending on the combat mission, the fuse can be installed for ground or air blasting. There is unconfirmed information that the charge power of the B61-11 can be stepwise changed in the range from 0.3 to 340 kt. Currently, the Americans declare that all tactical nuclear weapons in service with the naval forces are stored on the coast. However, if necessary, it can be quickly deployed on operational media.
