- Zuni (rocket)
The Zuni is a 5.0 inch (127mm) unguided
rocket deployed by theUnited States armed forces. [ [http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/missile/zuni.htm Federation of American Scientists - Zuni rocket] ] The rocket was developed for both air-to-air and air-to-ground operations. It can be used to carry various types ofwarhead s, including chaff for countermeasures. It is usually fired from the LAU-10 rocket pod holding four rockets.Various configurations of Zuni rockets have been developed. On
1 May 1967 during a sortie againstNorth Vietnam ’s MiG airfield at Kep,Lieutenant Commander Theodore R. Swartz shot down a Soviet-built MiG-17 with air-to-ground Zuni rockets. This was the only MiG aircraft to be downed by anA-4 Skyhawk during the Vietnam conflict.Grossnick and Armstrong 1997] Lieutenant Commander Swartz received theSilver Star for his action.In 1967 an MK-32 Zuni rocket was responsible for a fire on the
aircraft carrier USS "Forrestal" leading to the loss of 134 lives. Again, in1969 an MK-32 Zuni rocket was responsible for a fire on the aircraft carrier USS "Enterprise" leading to the loss of 27 lives and an additional 314 injured. Fifteen aircraft were destroyed.tudent use
The Australian Government has donated its Zuni rockets to the
Australian Space Research Institute (ASRI) and they are used for students experiments which are launched from the Woomera launching range. Every year a few Zunis are launched there.ASRI has also designed and constructed custom nosecones and payload recovery mechanisms for the Zuni. With a payload of 20 kg, the Zuni has an apogee of 5.9 km, which it attains in about 40 seconds, experiencing 55 g and 491 m/s (Mach 1.4) during the flight.
Laser Guided Zuni
There is currently (2007) a proposed plan to develop a
laser guidance capability for Zuni rockets, similar to theAdvanced Precision Kill Weapon System upgrade to theHydra 70 system. [cite web|url=http://hqinet001.hqmc.usmc.mil/AVN/Documents/Signed%20AvPlan.pdf|title=2007 Marine Aviation Plan2007 Marine Aviation Plan]References
*cite book|author=Grossnick, R. and Armstrong W.J.|title=United States Naval Aviation, 1910-1995|year=1997|publisher=Naval Historical Center|id=ISBN 0-16049-124-X
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