Typical mission profile for a 5"bore vertical firing. The 5" L70
calibre smooth bore was the first vertical firing gun system developed during
the HARP programme. This system was basically a modified 120mm T123 service
gun, retaining its high mobility features. It fired a 23 pound, fin-stabilized
missile to apogees of 250,000 feet (nothing to sneeze at!). If a g-hardened
rocket were used, instead of an unpowered ballistic type projectile, then
even a lowly 5-inch gun could reach apogees of 500,000 to 700,000 feet; which
could easily be circularized into a low orbit..
Typical mission profile for a 5"bore vertical firing. The 5" L70
calibre smooth bore was the first vertical firing gun system developed during
the HARP programme. This system was basically a modified 120mm T123 service
gun, retaining its high mobility features. It fired a 23 pound, fin-stabilized
missile to apogees of 250,000 feet (nothing to sneeze at!). If a g-hardened
rocket were used, instead of an unpowered ballistic type projectile, then
even a lowly 5-inch gun could reach apogees of 500,000 to 700,000 feet; which
could easily be circularized into a low orbit..