NIKE I - AJAX
MAY 1951 - Publication of Surface-to-Air Guided Missile System report
(NIKE I).
APR 1952 - Series of firings to test tactical control system and
JUN 1952 lightweight 3-fin booster.
JUL 1952 - First firing of production missile.
NOV 1952 - Start of R&D tests with Prototype Ground Guidance system.
- Start of Engineer/User tests.
OCT 1953 - Start of Army training firing at Red Canyon with production
systems.
JUL 1953 - Start of Ordnance Proof tests.
DEC 1953 - First deployment of production system at defense site.
1954 - Continued firings in support of production, training
1955 and deployment. Includes cold weather tests at Ft.
1956 Churchill, Canada, and sea level tests at Salton Sea.
Also includes several-demonstrations against special
targets.
1957 - Now known as NIKE AJAX, the firing program continued 1958 in
support of production and in demonstrations of system
performance and effectiveness.
1959 - Occasional batch firings in support of both AJAX and
and later HERCULES for special exercises and hardware qualification
tests.
OCT 1966 - Last firings of AJAX by contractor to shakedown HERCULES
system modified for high "g" maneuver capability.
(Total of 743 firings including 92 early R&D, and 77 with special
round numbers for demonstrations and other exercises.)
(Plus 17 dummy rounds.)
