Oerlikon/Contraves RSC-51 (MX-1868)
In 1947, the swiss companies Oerlikon-Bührle & Co. and Contraves AG began the development of a guided short-range surface-to-air missile. The initial production-ready version was the RSC-50, development of which was completed in 1950 (as indicated by the digits in the designation). This missile was actually the world's first commercially available anti-aircraft guided missile. In 1952, the U.S. Air Force evaluated 25 examples of the slightly improved, but otherwise very similar, RSC-51 at Holloman AFB under the project designation MX-1868.
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| Photos: via Gatland | ||
| MX-1868 | ||
The RSC-51 was launched from a mobile trailer and powered by a liquid-fueled rocket engine. It used a beam-riding guidance system developed by Brown-Boveri. The tracking radar and beam transmitter were located on a second trailer. The missile was equipped with four small fixed stabilizing wings, and was steered by exhaust-deflection control vanes. The RSC-51's high-explosive warhead was detonated by a proximity fuze.
No details about the USAF's evaluation of the MX-1868/RSC-51 missile are available, but the weapon was not further procured by the U.S. military. However, in the international market later models of the Oerlikon/Contraves missiles (RSC-54, RSC-56, RSC-57 and RSC/RSD-58) were reasonably successful, having been used by Switzerland, Italy, Sweden and Japan (usually as a training missile only, though).
Specifications
Note: Data given by several sources show slight variations. Figures given below may therefore be inaccurate!
Data for MX-1868:
| Length | 5.0 m (16 ft 6 in) |
| Diameter | 40 cm (15 in) |
| Weight | 250 kg (550 lb) |
| Speed | 750 m/s (2460 fps) |
| Ceiling | 20000 m (66000 ft) |
| Range | 20 km (12.5 miles) |
| Propulsion | Liquid-fueled rocket |
| Warhead | 20 kg (44 lb) high-explosive |
Main Sources
[1] Bill Gunston: "The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Rockets and Missiles", Salamander Books Ltd, 1979
[2] Kenneth W. Gatland: "Development of the Guided Missile", Philosophical Library, 1954
Back to Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles, Appendix 4
Last Updated: 1 July 2007