Hound Dog

The Hound Dog was an air-launched supersonic nuclear missile designed to destroy heavily defended ground targets. Specially modified B-52 bombers carried two Hound Dogs, one beneath each wing. Typically a Hound Dog would be launched at 45,000 feet, climb to over 56,000 feet, cruise to the target area, and then dive to the target. The missile's range of more than 600 miles allowed long-distance "stand-off" launching, which reduced the risk to the B-52. The Hound Dog entered service with the Strategic Air Command (SAC) in December 1959.

The AGM-28B Hound Dog, an advanced version of the A, first flew in May 1961. It incorporated an improved guidance system and had greater range. Almost 700 AGM-28s were built before production ended in 1963. In 1976 the AGM-28 was removed from alert status, and the last Hound Dogs left the U.S. Air Force inventory in 1978.

---