The MGR-3 Little John was a free flight

artillery rocket Rocket artillery is artillery that uses rocket (weapon), rockets as the projectile. The use of rocket artillery dates back to medieval China where devices such as fire arrows were used (albeit mostly as a Psychological warfare, psychological weapo ...

system designed and put into service by the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of the United Stat ...

during the 1950s and 1960s.

Description

Carried on the XM34 rocket launcher, it could carry either

nuclear Nuclear may refer to: Physics Relating to the nucleus of the atom: *Nuclear engineering *Nuclear physics *Nuclear power *Nuclear reactor *Nuclear weapon *Nuclear medicine *Radiation therapy *Nuclear warfare Mathematics * Nuclear space *Nuclear ...

or conventional

warhead A warhead is the section of a device that contains the explosive agent or toxic (biological, chemical, or nuclear) material that is delivered by a missile, rocket (weapon), rocket, torpedo, or bomb. Classification Types of warheads include: *E ...

s. It was primarily intended for use in airborne assault operations and to complement the heavier, self-propelled

MGR-1 Honest John The MGR-1 Honest John rocket was the first nuclear weapon, nuclear-capable surface-to-surface rocket in the United States arsenal.The first nuclear-authorized ''guided'' missile was the MGM-5 Corporal. Originally designated Artillery Rocket XM31 ...

rocket. Development of the rocket was started at Army's Rocket and Guided Missile Agency laboratory at Huntsville, Alabama, the

Redstone Arsenal Redstone Arsenal is a United States Army base adjacent to Huntsville, Alabama in the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge. A census-designated place in Madison County, Alabama, United States, it is part of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistica ...

, in June 1955. In June 1956, the first launch of the XM47 Little John occurred. This initial model was spin-stabilised by larger triangular fins and a longer launch rail. It was stabilised by the fins alone until it began to spin. The production XM51 version had smaller rectangular fins, too small to stabilise the rocket, and was stabilised from launch by a unique "spin-on-straight-rail" system. The XM51 Little John was delivered to the field in November 1961 and remained in the regular Army's weapons inventory until August 1969. It was a spin-stabilized field artillery rocket that followed a ballistic trajectory to ground targets. The rocket XM51 consisted of a warhead, a rocket motor assembly, and an igniter assembly. The components were shipped in separate containers, with the warhead and motor assembled before issue and the igniter inserted immediately before use. The Little John differs from the Honest John in not only its size but how it is stabilized in flight. The flight of the Honest John is stabilized by a spin that is imparted to the rocket by spin rockets after the round leaves the launcher. The XM51 Little John rocket flight is stabilized by applying spin to the rocket while on the launcher, just before firing. This manual method of stabilization was called "spin-on-straight-rail" (SOSR). A hand-wound mechanical clock spring on the launcher rotates the rocket through gears, when the firing

lanyard A lanyard is a length of cord, webbing, or strap that may serve any of various functions, which include a means of attachment, restraint, retrieval, activation, and deactivation. A lanyard is also a piece of rigging used to secure or lowe ...

is pulled. Once the rocket is rotating at 3 rev. per second, inertial switches connect the thermal batteries to the rocket motor's igniter. In flight, the spin is maintained by canted fins. The system was manufactured by the

Douglas Aircraft Company The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer, aerospace and military, defense company based in Southern California. Founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas Sr., it merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell D ...

. The rocket and launcher system were light enough to be easily transported by helicopters and other aircraft or towed by a vehicle. The Phase II Little John weapon system was initially deployed with the 1st Missile Battalion, 57th Field Artillery in Okinawa, Japan. The rocket was retired beginning in July, 1967, with the final rocket removed from inventory in 1970. Five hundred rockets were produced during the life of the weapon program.

Operators

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

Specifications

* Length: * Diameter: * Rocket weight: * Combined weight of rocket and launcher: * Warhead:

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with a yield of . * Propellant: solid rocket fuel * Maximum range:

References

{{USA missiles Cold War missiles of the United States Surface-to-surface missiles of the United States Unguided nuclear rockets of the United States Nuclear artillery Cold War rockets of the United States Nuclear weapons of the United States Military equipment introduced in the 1950s