LOCAT
{{Infobox weapon
| name = LOCAT
| image = LOCAT rocket.jpg
| image_size = 200
| caption =
| origin = United States
| type = Target drone
| is_missile = yes
| service = 1969
| used_by = United States Army
| designer =
| design_date =
| manufacturer = Philco-Ford
| number =
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| weight = {{convert|155|lb}}
| length = {{convert|15|ft}}
| part_length =
| width =
| height =
| diameter = {{convert|9.6|in}}
| crew =
| passengers =
| filling =
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| engine = 3x Mk 40 Mod 0 solid fuel rockets
| engine_power =
| pw_ratio =
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| fuel_capacity =
| vehicle_range = {{convert|2|mi}}
| speed = {{convert|520|mph}}
| guidance = None
| steering =
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| launch_platform = Douglas AD Skyraider
McDonnell F2H Banshee
| transport =
}}
The Low-Cost Aerial Target, or LOCAT, was designed as an inexpensive target rocket for use by the United States Army during the late 1960s. The missile was tested by the U.S. Army, but failed to win a production contract.
Design and development
Developed by Philco-Ford in the late 1960s, the LOCAT rocket was intended to be a high-speed, low-cost expendable target rocket for use in the air defense training role, being used in training exercises for anti-aircraft gunners and missile operators by the U.S. Army.Parsch 2002
Intended to be extremely simple and inexpensive in its construction, the fuselage tube of LOCAT was constructed from rolled paper tubing,Popular Science, [https://books.google.com/books?id=InVMAAAAYAAJ&q=%22LOCAT%22+rocket+Philco Volume 193, p.108]. 1968 while the rocket's stabilising fins were made of molded plastic. An aluminum coating was applied as a surfacing to enhance the rocket's radar signature, and three solid-fuel rockets of the type used by Folding-Fin Aerial Rockets were used for propulsion.
Operational history
Forty examples of the LOCAT rocket were ordered by the United States Army during 1969, for operational evaluation to determine if they were suitable in the target-drone role. The contract included an option for ordering production quantities if the rocket was considered acceptable for service.The Aerospace Year Book, [https://books.google.com/books?id=KnVGAAAAYAAJ&q=%22LOCAT%22 Volume 48, p.155]. Although LOCAT proved to be reasonably satisfactory in the Army's testing, and it was estimated that, even when compared to reusable drones, LOCAT offered a 50% savings in cost over other methods of target training,Industrial Research, [https://books.google.com/books?id=8lgmAAAAMAAJ&q=%22LOCAT%22 Volume 10, p.236]. Dun-Donnelley Publishing, 1968. no production contract was placed, the MTR-15 BATS being judged superior for the Army's purposes.
References
=Notes=
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=Bibliography=
{{refbegin}}
- {{cite web |url=http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/app4/locat.html |title=Philco-Ford LOCAT |first=Andreas |last=Parsch |year=2002 |work=Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles |publisher=designation-systems.net |accessdate=2011-01-07}}
{{refend}}
{{US military rockets}}
Category:Cold War rockets of the United States
Category:Abandoned military rocket and missile projects of the United States