MIM-3 Nike Ajax
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The Nike Ajax was an American guided surface-to-air missile developed by Bell Labs for the United States Army. The world's first operational guided surface-to-air missile, the Nike Ajax was designed t
A Nike Ajax in firing position.
MIM-3 Nike on a launcher
The early model Nike had eight JATO bottles in a cluster, demanding large fins for stability.
Test launch of the production model Nike Ajax missile with the new booster
Nike Hercules
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The Nike Hercules, initially designated SAM-A-25 and later MIM-14, was a surface-to-air missile used by U.S. and NATO armed forces for medium- and high-altitude long-range air defense. It was normally
MIM-3 Nike Ajax
…Originally known simply as "Nike", it gained the "Ajax" as part of a 1956 renaming effort that resulted from the introduction of the similarly named Nike Hercules. It was initially given the identifier SAM-A-7 (Surface-to-air, Army, design 7) as part of an early tri-service identification system, but later changed…
Nike Hercules missile
This image shows the evolution of the Hercules and its associated launch systems as it replaced Ajax. Note the growth of the fuselage as it moved to solid fuel.
The IFC area of an Improved Nike Hercules site mounts its five radars on platforms for a better view. From left to right are the TTR and TRR, HIPAR (large white dome) LOPAR (small dark rectangle in center foreground) and MTR.
The antennae of the LOPAR radar component (originally, the Ajax detection radar) and IFF interrogator.