The PGM-11 Redstone was the first large American ballistic missile. A short-range ballistic missile (SRBM), it was in active service with the United States Army in West Germany from June 1958 to June 1964 as part of NATO's Cold War defense of Western Europe. It was the first US missile to carry a live nuclear warhead, in the 1958 Pacific Ocean weapons test, Hardtack Teak.
Redstone No. CC-56, Cape Canaveral, Florida, 17 September 1958
US Army field group erecting Redstone missile
Redstone early production (1953)
Preparations on 16 May 1958 for the first Redstone launch on 17 May conducted by US Army troops. Battery A, 217th Field Artillery Missile Battalion, 40th Artillery Group (Redstone); Cape Canaveral, Florida; Launch Complex 5
Short-range ballistic missile
A short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) is a ballistic missile with a range of about 1,000 km (620 mi) or less. In past and potential regional conflicts, these missiles have been and would be used because of the short distances between some countries and their relative low cost and ease of configuration. In modern terminology, SRBMs are part of the wider grouping of theatre ballistic missiles, which includes any ballistic missile with a range of less than 3,500 km.
Sectional view of the missile Aggregat 4 / V 2