Zuni (rocket)
Encyclopedia
The Zuni is a 5 in unguided rocket
deployed by the United States
armed forces
. The rocket was developed for both air-to-air
and air-to-ground operations. It can be used to carry various types of warhead
s, including chaff
for countermeasures. It is usually fired from the LAU-10 rocket pod holding four rockets.
Various configurations of Zuni rockets have been developed. On 1 May 1967 during a sortie against North Vietnam
’s MiG
airfield at Kep, Lieutenant Commander
Theodore R. Swartz shot down a Soviet-built MiG-17
with air-to-ground Zuni rockets. This was the only MiG aircraft to be downed by an Douglas A-4 Skyhawk during the Vietnam War
. Lieutenant Commander Swartz received the Silver Star
for his action.
In 1967 a Mk32 Zuni rocket was responsible for a serious fire
aboard the aircraft carrier
, which led to the loss of 134 lives. A Mk32 was also responsible for a 1969 fire on the aircraft carrier , leading to the loss of 27 lives and saw 314 more injured. Fifteen aircraft were destroyed.
(ASRI) and they are used for student experiments which are launched from the Woomera launching range. Every year a few Zunis are launched there.
ASRI has also designed and constructed custom nosecones and payload recovery mechanisms for the Zuni. With a payload of 20 kg, the Zuni has an approximate range of 5.9 km, which it attains in about 40 seconds, experiencing 55 g and 491 m/s (Mach 1.4) during the flight.
is the only manufacturer of the Laser Guided Zuni Rocket similar to the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System
upgrade to the Hydra 70
system. The Laser Guided Zuni Rocket is composed of the new WGU-58/B Guidance and Control Section that is attached to the front end of an unguided Zuni rocket and warhead. The weapon requires semi-active laser energy to guide to a precise target. The Laser Guided Zuni Rocket is on the U.S. Marine Corps Aviation Weapons Roadmap and Plan and is compatible with any aircraft that is cleared to carry unguided Zunis in a 4-place LAU-10 Launcher, including AV-8B Harriers, F/A-18 Hornets, AH-1 Cobra Helicopters and P-3 Orion aircraft. The precision weapon fits in the same launcher as unguided Zunis and requires only a 28V firing pulse and a semi active laser designator. The weapon was developed under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the Weapons Division of the U.S. Navy's Air Warfare Center in China Lake, California (NAWC WD).
In 2009, the Laser Guided Zuni Rocket was successfully tested against both a stationary and moving targets. The weapon successfully underwent a live fire warhead test flight in September, 2010.
Rocket
A rocket is a missile, spacecraft, aircraft or other vehicle which obtains thrust from a rocket engine. In all rockets, the exhaust is formed entirely from propellants carried within the rocket before use. Rocket engines work by action and reaction...
deployed by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
armed forces
Military of the United States
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
. The rocket was developed for both air-to-air
Air-to-air rocket
An air-to-air rocket or air interception rocket is an unguided projectile fired from aircraft to engage other flying targets. They were used briefly in World War I to engage enemy observation balloons and in and after World War II to engage enemy bombers...
and air-to-ground operations. It can be used to carry various types of warhead
Warhead
The term warhead refers to the explosive material and detonator that is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo.- Etymology :During the early development of naval torpedoes, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This...
s, including chaff
Chaff (radar countermeasure)
Chaff, originally called Window by the British, and Düppel by the Second World War era German Luftwaffe , is a radar countermeasure in which aircraft or other targets spread a cloud of small, thin pieces of aluminium, metallized glass fibre or plastic, which either appears as a cluster of secondary...
for countermeasures. It is usually fired from the LAU-10 rocket pod holding four rockets.
Various configurations of Zuni rockets have been developed. On 1 May 1967 during a sortie against North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
’s MiG
Mikoyan
Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG , or RSK MiG, is a Russian joint stock company. Formerly Mikoyan-and-Gurevich Design Bureau , then simply Mikoyan, it is a military aircraft design bureau, primarily designing fighter aircraft...
airfield at Kep, Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
Theodore R. Swartz shot down a Soviet-built MiG-17
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 is a high-subsonic fighter aircraft produced in the USSR from 1952 and operated by numerous air forces in many variants. Most MiG-17 variants cannot carry air-to-air missiles, but shot down many aircraft with its cannons...
with air-to-ground Zuni rockets. This was the only MiG aircraft to be downed by an Douglas A-4 Skyhawk during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Lieutenant Commander Swartz received the Silver Star
Silver Star
The Silver Star is the third-highest combat military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the United States armed forces for valor in the face of the enemy....
for his action.
In 1967 a Mk32 Zuni rocket was responsible for a serious fire
1967 USS Forrestal fire
The 1967 USS Forrestal fire was a devastating fire and series of chain-reaction explosions on 29 July 1967 that killed 134 sailors and injured 161 on the aircraft carrier , after an unusual electrical anomaly discharged a Zuni rocket on the flight deck...
aboard the aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
, which led to the loss of 134 lives. A Mk32 was also responsible for a 1969 fire on the aircraft carrier , leading to the loss of 27 lives and saw 314 more injured. Fifteen aircraft were destroyed.
Student use
The Australian Government has donated its Zuni rockets to the Australian Space Research InstituteAustralian Space Research Institute
The Australian Space Research Institute came about in the early 1990s as the result of a merger between the AUSROC Launch Vehicle Development Group at Monash University in Melbourne and the Australian Space Engineering Research Association ....
(ASRI) and they are used for student experiments which are launched from the Woomera launching range. Every year a few Zunis are launched there.
ASRI has also designed and constructed custom nosecones and payload recovery mechanisms for the Zuni. With a payload of 20 kg, the Zuni has an approximate range of 5.9 km, which it attains in about 40 seconds, experiencing 55 g and 491 m/s (Mach 1.4) during the flight.
Laser Guided Zuni Rocket
The 5" Laser Guided Zuni Rocket is a precision weapon and an upgrade to the unguided 5" Zuni rocket. The North American division of MBDAMBDA
MBDA is a missile developer and manufacturer with operations in France, Britain, Germany, Italy, and the United States. It was formed by a merger of Aérospatiale-Matra Missiles , Finmeccanica and Matra BAe Dynamics in December 2001. In 2003 the company had 10,000 employees...
is the only manufacturer of the Laser Guided Zuni Rocket similar to the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System
Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System
The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System is a developmental program to provide a laser guided missile which is compatible with existing Hydra 70 unguided rocket systems in service.-Overview:...
upgrade to the Hydra 70
Hydra 70
The Hydra 70 rocket is a weapon derived from the 70 mm Mk 4/Mk 40 Folding-Fin Aerial Rocket developed by the United States Navy for use as a free-flight aerial rocket in the late 1940s.-Overview:...
system. The Laser Guided Zuni Rocket is composed of the new WGU-58/B Guidance and Control Section that is attached to the front end of an unguided Zuni rocket and warhead. The weapon requires semi-active laser energy to guide to a precise target. The Laser Guided Zuni Rocket is on the U.S. Marine Corps Aviation Weapons Roadmap and Plan and is compatible with any aircraft that is cleared to carry unguided Zunis in a 4-place LAU-10 Launcher, including AV-8B Harriers, F/A-18 Hornets, AH-1 Cobra Helicopters and P-3 Orion aircraft. The precision weapon fits in the same launcher as unguided Zunis and requires only a 28V firing pulse and a semi active laser designator. The weapon was developed under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the Weapons Division of the U.S. Navy's Air Warfare Center in China Lake, California (NAWC WD).
In 2009, the Laser Guided Zuni Rocket was successfully tested against both a stationary and moving targets. The weapon successfully underwent a live fire warhead test flight in September, 2010.