Nike Components in use today

Back to Home Page

Nike Boosters

from Mike Nipper April 2004
I retired from the Air Force in '97, at Holloman AFB, NM, next door to White Sands Missile Range. I can tell you that the AF has a LOT of Nike motors in storage. They are used as propulsion motors on the High Speed Test Track at Holloman. I spent 15 years disassembling the M42 clusters, and preping the M5 and M88 motors for use. I also wrote the tech data that the AF people use to do the job. The track also uses Honest John and Little John motors, as well as new custom developed motors. I have many photos of Nike motor pusher sleds in use.

Mike Nipper mmnipper@earthlink.net

This is not use, but www.access.gpo.gov/...
The Air Force continues to store motors for the Nike Hercules rocket. According to the Air Force's database, there is no requirement for these rocket motors, and the Air Force owns only 39 of them. However, the Standard Depot System database, which accounts for wholesale ammunition assets, shows that the Air Force owns 469 of the Nike rocket motors--430 more than the Air Force's system shows.

Nike Radars

From Donald E. Bender cwresearch2@yahoo.com
Ed, you may be interested to know that the FAA has three refurbished Nike system tracking radars presently in operation at their Atlantic City, New Jersey Technical Center. The radars are being used in experiments with non-military Global Positioning Systems for aircraft. I don't have more specific data regarding the exact type of radar. I do know that certain parts were updated to utilize solid state components. Performance of the radar is said to be "impressive". Not bad for a 40+ year old design!

Best regards,

Don Bender
cwresearch2@yahoo.com

A Nike Hercules MTR (Missile Tracking Radar) antenna and control console components are being used to track aircraft during tests amd exercises at China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station at China Lake, CA. U.S.A.

Various modifications (including added 6 inch CCD telescope mounted in place of the original 30 mm alignment telescope)

The web page for a source on Nike components is The Web Site for Defense - Army .

If you have comments or suggestions, Send e-mail to Ed Thelen

Back to Home Page
Updated April 7, 2004