The MGM-52 Lance was a surface to surface artillery missile used by the US and NATO countries armies during the Cold War. It was developed and produced by the Vought Corporation, an American arm contractor. It flew at supersonic speed and had a maximum range of 75 miles. It had a cylindrical body, with small cruciform tail fins. It was only deployed in Europe.
The MGM-52 Lance was in service in the US Army between 1972 and 1992. It was also in the arsenal of the German, Dutch, Italian, and Belgian armed forces. Officially, it was a short-range, tactical ballistic missile, which could be armed both with a small nuclear warhead (W70) or with a conventional high explosive one. The missile employed the M72 launcher, which was a tracked vehicle; an adaptation of the M113.
Specifications
Type: tactical ballistic missile
Length: 20 ft, 2 in (6. 15 m)
Body Diameter: 1 ft, 10 in (0.56 m)
Weight: 3,368 lb (1,528 kg)
Power Plant: one Rocketdyne, dual-thrust UDMH rocket engine, which used liquid propellant.
Maximum Speed: Mach 3
Range: 75 miles (121 km)
Guidance: simplified inertial guidance system; DC-Automet
Below, a MGM-52 Lance on its tracked moving launching platform of the West German Army.
