Prepared by Bell Laboratories on behalf of Western Electric, Whippany Road, Whippany, N J 07981 for U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Defense Systems Command under Contract DAHC60-71-C-0005
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In March 1955, Col. M. B. Chatfield of the Army Ordnance Missile Defense Command at Redstone Arsenal asked Bell Laboratories to carry out an 18-month study of defense against future air threats including Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs), then in early development in the United States. This history begins with that study and highlights the evolution of ABM defense during the ensuing twenty years that led to a tactical operating ABM defense system at Grand Forks, North Dakota.
It covers the important decisions, changing requirements, and major innovative development steps taken to meet the changing threat. The research and development programs associated with each major ABM system are discussed together with the principal radar, missile, and computer subsystems. The report concludes with a summary of lessons learned with respect to managing such programs in the future and includes a comprehensive bibliography of supporting reference material.
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