American tactical ballistic missile. The Army Hermes A-2 single stage test rocket proved the technology of large solid rocket
motors as developed by H L Thackwell at Thiokol. But the Army preferred to have further development done in-house and JPL was
selected to develop the Sergeant rocket. In addition to the flight tests, a total of 22 motors were static fired, including one
after seven years of storage.
Hermes A-2 began as a 1947 concept for a wingless surface-to-surface derivative of the Hermes A-1, itself an American version of
the German Wasserfall surface-to-air missile. By 1948 it was decided to start with a clean sheet of paper design, replacing the
liquid propellants of the Wasserfall with a more tactically appropriate solid rocket motor. This low-cost single-stage missile would
have a range of 120 km / 75 miles when carrying a nuclear warhead. Thiokol began development of the solid propellant motor in 1950.
The production tactical missile would be armed with a 40 kT W-7 nuclear fission warhead. The Hermes project was cancelled in October
1952 and further development of the missile was assigned to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Thiokol's success in development of the
solid rocket motor led to flight tests of the unguided RV-A-10 test vehicle in the rundown after the program cancellation. Four were
flown successfully in February-March 1953.
Maximum range: 109 km (67 mi). Number Standard Warheads: 1. Standard warhead: W-7. Warhead yield: 40 KT. Boost Propulsion: Solid.
