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The GAM-63 RASCAL is a supersonic air-to-surface missile that was developed by the Bell Aircraft Company. The RASCAL was the United States Air Force's first nuclear armed standoff missile. The RASCAL was initially designated the ASM-A-2, then re-designated the B-63 in 1951 and finally re-designated the GAM-63 in 1955. The name RASCAL was the acronym for RAdar SCAnning Link, the missile's guidance system.〔Jenkins, Dennis R. (July 1, 2006). ''Little RASCAL: the first stand-off weapon". Airpower, p. 44〕 The RASCAL project was cancelled in September 1958. ==Development== During World War II, Nazi Germany air-launched 1,176 V-1 missiles from Heinkel He 111 bombers. The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) studied this weapon system. Testing was conducted in the United States using B-17 bombers and the JB-2 Doodle Bug, a locally produced copy of the V-1. Successful testing of this combination led to the release of requirements to the aerospace industry for an air-to-surface missile on 15 July 1945.〔Gibson, James N. (1996). Nuclear Weapons of the United States - An Illustrated History. Schiffer Publishing. ISBN 0-7643-0063-6.〕 In March 1946 the USAAF began work on Project Mastiff, a nuclear armed air-to-surface drone or self-controlled air-to-surface missile. Northrop Corporation, Bell, and Republic Aviation were invited by the USAAF to submit proposals for Mastiff.〔Hansen, Chuck (1988). U.S. Nuclear Weapons - The Secret History. Aerofax, Arlington Texas. ISBN 0-517-56740-7〕 Bell was awarded a feasibility study contract by the USAAF on 1 April 1946. Bell studied the feasibility of developing a subsonic "pilot-less" bomber carrying a substantial payload over a distance of .〔Knaack, Marcelle Size (1988). Encyclopedia of U.S. Air Force Aircraft and Missile Systems Volume II - Post-World War II Bombers 1945-1973. Office of Air Force History, USAF, Washington D.C. ISBN 0-912799-59-5〕 After 18 months of study, Bell concluded that rocket propulsion was not capable of providing the performance needed to boost the missile the AAF wanted to a range of 300 miles.〔 The range requirement was reduced to (160.9 km) but other technical problems surfaced.〔 The USAAF started Project MX-776. As a risk reduction measure, Project MX-776 was divided into two sub projects. The MX-776A development developed the RTV-A-4 Shrike later re-designated the X-9 as a testbed for the RASCAL that would be developed under project MX-776B. 22 X-9 missiles were launched between April 1949 and January 1953.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「GAM-63 RASCAL」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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