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The Man

The Missile

The Mission
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The Man

Combat - modern combatwith its emphasis on dispersal,


rapid movement , and
concentration of firepower on
the objective hos increased the
role of the artilleryman . The
PERSHING unit, like any other
field artillery unit, must be
able to "shoot, move and
communicate" to provide the
required artillery support to the
so ldier in the field . The success
of the PERSH ING system in
combat, however, will depend
upon the skill of the men who
operate it, maneuver it to
prevent successful enemy attack,
and direct its fire on the
proper to rgets.

THE

Missile

FIRST STAGE - A solid propellant rocket motor


provides thrust for the PERSHING. The thin
steel motor case of high tensile strength is an
integral part of the airframe, thus affording
structural simplicity .

GUIDANCE & CONTROL-The


move ments of the air fins and jet
vanes for each stage, actuated by
a common mechanism, provide
the necessary in-flight control.
PERSH ING's guidance and control is invulnerable to all known
jamming countermeasures.

THE

Missile
TRANSPORTERERECTORLAUNCHER

The secret to PERSHING world-wide


mobi Iity is the transporter-erectors
launcher (TEL). Th is Iight-weight
e lectro-mechanized device is used to
mount the missile, erect it into the
firing position, align it with the
target azimuth through a complete
360 of traverse, and support it
accurately until it is fired . The TEL
and all other ground support equipment is being developed concurrently with the missile. The first R&D
PERSHING was fired from a TEL.

Th e TEL "knee ls" to


lood unmated
sect ions of the missile
durin g asse mbly.

At the firing position, t he


launch pad is lowe red
to the ground, leve led,
and the erector rai ses
the mi ss ile to th e vertical position.

During transport on
th e XM 4 7 4 ve hicl e, th e
mis sile is suppo rted
in a horizonta l pos it ion
by the erector
portion of th e TEL

The only thing new which has been introduced


into the Army Artillery with the PERSHING is
its extended range. This allows the artilleryman g reater capabilities to support the Army,
s ince he can concentrate massed fire from extend ed di stances with the precise timing to
gain the ma ximum surp ri se . The rang e of the
PERSHING is matched to the extended s iz e of
the modern battlefield, which is no long e r
mea sured by the speed a man can move on
foot.

ARTILLERY PRINCIPLES
SURPRISE - PERSHING can attack any target
within its rang e from any direction. It can
roam the entire area behind th e FEBA (Forwa rd
Edge of th e Battle Area) ta insu re pass ive secur ity until the moment of attack on targets
assigned by the Army Com mand er. It can move
into and out of position areas us ing any of its
three modes of operation: ground mobile, air
landed or helicopter transport. To the enemy,
any sma ll flat place behind the FEBA is a
potential PERSHING firing battery location .
CONCENTRATION - With its o rganic reliable
communication, th e PERSHING is constantly
poise d to concentrate fire where the Army
Command e r directs. Th e PERSHING is capable
of shifting fire from primary to alternate targets through a complete 360 of traverse on
very short notice .
AVAILABILITY - The PERSHING like all artillery will never be maintained in reserve.
Howeve r, its tremendous rapidl y reacting fire power affords the Army Commande r a new
reserve - the ability to attack any force in
his zone of respo ns ibility at any time, da y or
night, under any weather condition.

The Mission

The m1ss1on of the PERSHING is to provide the Field Army


with general support artillery fires. Through the maneuver of
PERSHING batteries, commanders possess a powerful means of
influencing the course of combat. This new weapon system is
capable of delivering fire over a zone of great width and depth and
con rapidly shift and concentrate its fire according to the everchanging bottle pion.

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FIREPOWER
PERSHING is designed as a general support weapon for the
Field Army. Because of the missile's nuclear capability, Army
Commanders will assign it targets of priority to the Army's
missi on . Like other Army systems, PERSHING can apply the
proper amount of destructive force to destroy selected targets.
Even though PERSHING is still in the R&D stage, Army Commanders, Staff, and the operating artillerymen are being
trained to use it.

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COMMUNICATIONS
Reliability and immunity to jamming are prime features of PERSH I NG's communications equipment, which is carried to the firing
site with other parts of the system.
The troposcatter transmitter, which
aims signals above the horizon in
the direction of the receiver, makes
enemy detection of the transmitter and the firing site extremely difficult. The Army and
battalion commanders ore in constant touch with the firing position .

OPERATION MAN, on assembly of modern Army weapons at Fort Benning in Moy, 1960, witnessed the first
public display of PERSHING. Mounted on its TEL and
tracked carrier, PERSHING was displayed before President Eisenhower and top Army officials.

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Army Ballistic Missile Agency


of the
Army Ordnance Missile Command

The MAR Tl N Company

Thiokol Chemical Corporation

Eclipse-Pioneer Division of Bendix


Corporation

Thompson Ramo-Woolridge

Collins Radio Corporation

Bulova Research and


Development Labs, Inc .

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