Artillery / Surface to surface missiles / MGR-1 Honest John
MGR-1 Honest John
General Facts
- TYPE
Tactical missile - ORIGIN
United States
- NICKNAMES
Artillery Rocket XM31 (development designation) - DESIGNED
1951 - 1953 - DESIGNER
Redstone Arsenal - PRODUCTION
1953 - 1965 - PRODUCERS
United States
- QUANTITY
About 7.000 Honest John rockets produced. - UNIT COST
Unknown - CHARACTERISTICS
Low production and maintenance costs
Simple and easy to operate
Nuclear and conventional warheads available
Good mobility on roads
Much reduced accuracy in bad weather
Limited accuracy in early model
Low rate of fire
Limited all terrain mobility
Introduction
The Honest John is an early Cold War era surface to surface missile of US origin. It was developed in the early 1950's as a nuclear-armed artillery rocket. Later on conventional and chemical warhead were introduced as well. The Honest John was replaced as a field artillery tactical missile by the more accurate and longer range MGM-52 Lance. Due to its simplicity the Honest John enjoyed a long service life.
Design
The Honest John is an unguided artillery rocket oversized ogive warhead section at the front and four large wings at the rear. It is launched by carefully aiming the launch rail at the correct direction and inclination. The Honest John is both fin and spin stabilized and follows a ballistic trajectile.
Firepower
The Honest John was armed with a W7 nuclear warhead with variable yield up to 20 kt. Later on the W31 nuclear warhead with preset 2/10/30 kt yield was used. A 680 kg unitary HE warhead and Sarin bomblet warhead were also available. The M-31 rocket has a 5.5 km miminum range and 24.8 km maximum range. Accuracy was considered poor compared to tube artillery. The improved M-50 rocket doubled the range and improved the CEP to 230 meters.
Mobility
The Honest John is transported on a truck based transporter, erector, launcher (TEL). A single rocket is carried on a long launch rail. Two types of truck mounted launchers were used, both based on the M139 5-ton truck. This provides the Honest John with a reasonable off road capability and good mobility on roads.
Users
The main operator of the Honest John was the United States army. The Honest John was also operated by many US allies in Europe and Asia, in both nuclear and non-nuclear versions. In US service the Honest John was used until 1985. Non-nuclear models were used by various nations until the late 1990's.
MGR-1 Honest John rockets
MGR-1A: Original Honest John rocket. Also known as the M-31 rocket. Fitted with W7 or W31 nuclear warhead, unitary HE warhead or Sarin gas bomblet warhead.
MGR-1B: Improved Honest John rocket. Also known as the M-50 rocket. Has a much improved range due to more powerful rocket engine, lower weight and smaller wings.
Type | Surface to surface missile |
---|---|
Diameter | 0.58 m body, 0.76 m warhead, 2.60 m wingspan |
Length | 8.31 m |
Weight | 2.640 kg |
Guidance | Unguided, ballistic flight, fin and spin stabilized |
---|---|
Warhead | W7 variable yield up to 20 kt nuclear warhead, W31 2/10/30 kt warhead, 680 kg unitary HE warhead, Sarin bomblet warhead |
Propulsion | Hercules Powder Company X-202 rocket motor, 402 kN thrust |
Speed | ? |
Range | 5.5 km minimum, 24.8 km maximum |
---|---|
Altitude | - |
Engagement envelope | - |
Remarks | - |
Type | Surface to surface missile |
---|---|
Diameter | 0.58 m body, 0.76 m warhead, 1.40 m wingspan |
Length | 7.58 m |
Weight | 1.965 kg |
Guidance | Unguided, ballistic flight, fin and spin stabilized |
---|---|
Warhead | W7 variable yield up to 20 kt nuclear warhead, W31 2/10/30 kt warhead, 680 kg unitary HE warhead, Sarin bomblet warhead |
Propulsion | Thiokol composite propellant solid rocket motor, 670 kN thrust |
Speed | ? |
Range | over 48 km maximum |
---|---|
Altitude | - |
Engagement envelope | - |
Remarks | - |
Honest John launch vehicles
M289: Early launcher based on M139D truck. Launch rail is raised by A-frame.
M386: Improved launch vehicle, also based on M139 truck. Launch rail is mounted on turntable.
M33: Launch trailer towed by truck. Was hardly used in operational units.
- Specifications:
- M289
Type | Launch vehicle |
---|---|
Crew | 2 (driver, assistant) |
Length | 12.91 m (incl launch rail) |
Width | 3.05 m |
Height | 3.83 m (with empty launch rail) |
Ground clearance | 0.33 m |
Weight | 18.9 t empty, 21.6 t combat load |
Ground pressure | ? |
Wheelbase | Wheeled chassis, 6x6, 14.00 x20 tires |
Turn radius | 32 m |
Engine | Continental Red Seal R 6602 6-cylinder liquid cooled petrol, 196 hp at 2.800 rpm |
Power ratio | 9.1 hp/t |
---|---|
Transmission | Manual, 5 forward, 1 reverse |
Speed | 95 km/h on road |
Fuel | ? |
Range | 260 km |
Wall | ? |
Trench | ? |
Gradient | 43% gradient |
Fording | 0.8 m |
Armor | No |
NBC equipment | No |
Night vision | No |
---|---|
Smoke | No |
Remarks | - |
Armament | MGR-1 Honest John rocket (1) |
Weapon1 | MGR-1 Honest John rocket on launch rail |
Weapon2 | - |
Weapon3 | - |
Weapon4 | - |
Weapon5 | - |
Weapon6 | - |