This promotional film for the Boeing AGM-69 SRAM, or Short Range Attack Missile, dates to the early 1970s. The film starts with images of a Polaris submarine-launched ballistic missile (:37), a Minuteman ICBM (:57) and the B-52 strategic bomber at (1:10). At 1:31, Soviet surface to air missiles are seen targeting the B-52. The solution to the problem is the SRAM, a stand-off strategic weapon which can destroy enemy SAM sites. The SRAM can be used with the B-52 and the F-111. At 2:27 animation shows the use of the SRAM and shows its various roles, including a penetrating role that allows the B-52 to hit prime targets. At 3:00 the entire missile system is shown. The animation also shows the missile systems including nuclear warhead at 3:30, although only in the most generic way. At 4:17, production of the SRAM is shown at Boeing and at manufacturers in 39 states. At 4:46 a finished missile is packaged for shipment. At 5:10 the missile is shown delivered to Strategic Air Command. At 5:44, a training payload is shown being installed on the weapon. At 6:00 a rotary launcher for use on the aircraft is shown, and at 6:15 it is shown mated to a B-52G. At 6:23 a test of the weapon is shown, including POV type shots of the weapon in flight. At 8:10, launching of the SRAM is shown from on board the B-52 (the music at this point is eerily similar to that used in “Dr. Strangelove” BTW!)
The Boeing AGM-69 SRAM (short-range attack missile) was a nuclear air-to-surface missile. It had a range of up to 50 nautical miles (93 km; 58 mi), and was intended to allow US Air Force strategic bombers to penetrate Soviet airspace through the neutralization of surface-to-air missile defenses.
SRAM was designed to replace the older AGM-28 Hound Dog standoff missile which was tasked with the same basic role. Hound Dog was a very large missile that could only be carried in pairs by the B-52, so some aircraft were tasked with suppressing Soviet missile and radar sites while others would carry on to strike their strategic targets. SRAM was so much smaller that a number could be carried along with other weapons, allowing a single aircraft to blast its own way through to its targets.
SRAM entered service in 1972 and was carried by a number of aircraft, including the B-52, FB-111A, and the B-1B. In September 1980 a ground fire raised concerns about the safety of the warhead, and in 1990 they were temporarily removed from service while safety checks were carried out. These revealed a number of the missile’s rocket motors had developed cracks that could have resulted in them exploding when launched.
The SRAM was removed from service in 1993, by which time its mission was rendered obsolete by the introduction of the AGM-86, which could be launched from far outside the range of Soviet weapons, and no longer required the bombers to penetrate Soviet defenses.
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
