Adaption of the Army Tactical Missile System to Undersea Operations,

The USN Strategic System Program Office authorized a study in 1995 to evaluate the launch of tactical battlefield ballistic missile from the 6881 fast attack submarine. The missile evaluated was the Armys Tactical Missile System ATACMS, MGM-140A. The choice was based on the production status and combat history of the missile system. The range and payload of ATACMS made it ideal for fire support from the sea. The Los Angeles class submarine was selected as the launch platform. These fast attack subs provide 12 launch cells that dimensionally allow the installation of ATACMS missiles stored in capsules with self contained undersea cold launch capability. Figure 1 locates the launch cells in the 688 class hull. A Sea-Launched TACMS SLATACMS missile is a derivative of the Army Block IA missile with changes to accommodate the dimensional constraints of the launch capsule. The changes are required for physical fit within the submarine VLS capsule to be compatible with the submarine environments, and existing submarine systems without changing them and to allow for different launch and flight conditions. The SLATACMS will be 199.0 long, while the Block IA missile is 156.5 long. The added length is the result of a longer boattail that allows the fins to be folded within a smaller envelope and the addition of fin module behind the boattail for stability during underwater flight. The fin module is jettisoned after broach and before missile motor ignition, resulting in a flight missile length of 170.13. The missile diameter and nose shape will remain the same as Block IA 23.9 dia. and 3.071 Vk.