AN/SPW-2 Missile Guidance Radar

History

The AN/SPW-2 is an guidance radar developed for use with the RIM-8 Talos missile. It was part of the Mk 77 Talos FCS. This radar was first deployed on the Galveston class cruisers, which were rebuilds of Cleveland class cruisers. The first installation was commissioned in 1958.

The SPW-2 was the data link betweeen the missile fire control computer and the missile itself. The SPW-2 operated independently from the tracking radar, allowing the missile to be guided to an intercept point ahead of the target.

Each SPW-2 antenna carried an platform to mount an television camera, which could be used to track the missile at short ranges and to view calibration targets for system alignment.

Used on

• CLG-5 Oklahoma City 1972
• CG-5 Oklahoma City 1978
• CLG-4 Little Rock 1960
• CLG-4 Little Rock 1967
• CLG-5 Oklahoma City 1962
• CLG-5 Oklahoma City 1963
• CLG-5 CG-10 Albany 1962
• CGN-9 Long Beach 1961
• CBG-3 Hawaii, Polaris/Talos Conversion, sketched 1957

Affiliated systems

• RIM-8 Talos
• Mk 77 Talos FCS

Part description

4 variants are drawn, in 4 views each. Views, from left to right:

• top view
• front view
• left side view
• right side view

variants, top to bottom:

• installation with camera, pole mounted
• installation with camera, deck mounted
• installation without camera, pole mounted
• installation without camera, deck mounted

The installations mounted on a pole have an additional access walkway around the base. Installations at superstructure edges can have an partial walkway.

Belowdeck space is estimated based on the underlying superstructure layout of existing ships. No exact numbers are known.

See also

https://www.okieboat.com/SPW-2%20description.html