AQM-60 Kingfisher

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The AQM-60 Kingfisher, developed by Lockheed Martin, was a target version of the USAF's X-7 test aircraft. The X-7's developement began in 1946 after a request from the USAF for a mach-3 unmanned test vehicle. This unmanned test craft eventually evolved into the Kingfisher when the need evolved for a target to test the anti-missile systems, the SAM-A-7/MIM-3 Nike Ajax, SAM-A-25/MIM-14 Nike Hercules, and IM-99/CIM-10. Unfortunately for the tests the Kingfisher proved a bit too precise, managing to evade the vast majority of the anti-missile systems and only being shot down a few times during the tests. This, coupled with political fall-out from the program, led to the eventual discontinuation of production in 1959 and the cancellation of the project in the mid 1960s.

[edit] Specifications

Length	11.6 m (38 ft)
Wingspan	3.0 m (10 ft)
Height	2.1 m (7 ft)
Diameter	61 cm (20 in)
Weight	3600 kg (8000 lb)
Ceiling	30000 m (100000 ft)
Speed	Mach 4.3; 4500 km/h (2800 mph)
Range	210 km (130 miles)
Booster	2x Thiokol XM45 (5KS50000) solid-fuel rocket; 222 kN (50000 lb) each for 5 s
Sustainer	Marquardt XRJ43-MA ramjet