-;TTN OF AFRDH 

Approved for Release: 2018/11/16 C05115204 

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE 

HEADQUARTERS UNITED,STATES AIR FORCE 

WASHINGTON'25, D.C, 

SU8JECT Proposal for TAGBOARD Drone Launch from B-52H J 

BEST COPY 

AVAILABLE 

;:)J\Ii'RD 

Forwarded herewlth per your direction of 9 September 1966 is a proposal 

for a TAGBOARD drone launch from a B-52Ii a:ircT'aft. This proposaJ includes F'Y67 and P'Y68 cost estimates. 

!~Lf\SOl'J b. SAUNDEHS, Colonel, USAF' 

Ofc, Assistant For Reconnaissance 

l)CS/Eesearch and Development 

1 Atoh 

Proposal 

;.1-' to, 

:;",' 

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Proposal for Tagboard Drone Launch from B-52H 

1. A study has been conducted as to the feasibility of laUllChing the 

D-21 Tagboard drone vehicle by some other means than the presently used 

N-21 Tagboard carrier. The most promising solution is to launch the drone, 

suitably modified, from a B-52H in a manner similar to that already proven 

on the X-15. The drone fltted with a solid propellant rocket booster providing an average thrust of approximately 30,500 Ibs for 67 seconds would 

be dropped at 40,000 ft and 0.8l'-1. The booster would then be ignited ,and 

the drone accelerated to 1'1 3.2-3.4 and an altitude of 75,000-80,000 ft. 

At motor burn-out the booster case would be jettisoned. The drone would 

then accelerate or decelerate as required to its design Hach of 3.3 and 

would then proceed on a climbing cruise for a range of 3,000 miles with a 

mission capabl1l ty identical to that of the present vehi,cle. 

2. Under this proposal, flight tests involving the 11D-21 mother-drone 

combination will end in September 1966 upon the completion of some hot 

call1era tests now underway. 1'he H-21 carrler 8,ircraft would then be lald-up 

and could be made available to the Oxcart program if so desired. The 

present Tagboard drone (D-21) would be modified to a D-21 B configuration 

by reworking it to accomodate a B-52 pylon attachment on the upper surface 

of the fuselage and 1:1. booster attachment and jettison system on the lower 

surfaCG. Some structural beefup will also be required because of the 

increai3ed drone weight due to the booster addition and the expanded free 

flight regime which will now be from .8N to 3.5'1. 110difications wll1 also 

be nade to the Automatic Fllght Control System, the Inflight Cheekout and 

Inertial Navigation System to accomodate the changed launch and boost 

corldi tions ~ 

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,:.\ \.. 
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J. As \ife sec it now we should have a Ijnlited operoticmal Ly 

one year from go~ahead. With the first launch (llpproxlmat(clly scwen 

months froID. go-ahead) consideration should be given to rnodii'1catloI1 of 

a second B-52H to 611..hance operational flexibility. All operatiorw 

should be L'lUDched and recovered from Area 51 although post strike of 

the carrier vehicle is an option we would consider for extremely 

remote areas. A typical sortie with target requirements in South China/ 

Viet Nam would take off from Area 51 for launch of one drone in the 

vicinity of Kadena. A great circle route would cover 5800 NH and 12:/+0 

hours flying time. Two air refuelings would be necessary for recovery 

at Area 51 with another eleven hours required for the return. Recovery 

of the drone payload would occur approximately 1 + 30 hours after 

separation from the B-52 to take place in areas dictated by the mission 

, 

profile; i.e., Bay of Bengal, South China Sea, Yellow Sea, Black Sea, 

etc. 

4. The B-52 external modification would consist mainly of the addition 

of tvJO under-vling pylons for twin D-2lB attachment. This pylon attachment 

will be similar to that of the X-15 with the important difference that the 

D-2LS pylon allows full use of the 5-52 flap system for take-off and 

landing while the X-15 pylon renders the flaps inoperative. Since the 

pylons will be attached through existing B-52 wing bolt patterns and the 

generated loads are within the capability of the attachments and backup 

strueture, no B-52 wing beefup will be required. 

5. The primary internal B-52 modification would be the addition of a dUBl 

launch control stB.tion. This will provide a completely independent launch 

control function for eaeh of the D-21B aircraft as weLL as mounting" 

.) 

,~ 

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Approved for Release: 2018/11/16 C05115204 

CheCKo'-ct anJ. pOl3t launch telemetering function:'). ether 

the installation of the ini tial navigation systeln, 

, raul ti. pIe CftITlera tru3 ta11rt ti. OIlS arld 

electrical and chctnges. 

r chosen to boost the D-2lB from .81{ to 3.Y'1 

a modifir:atton of' the Project Appollo Cormnand HOitlie gscape Rocket produced by 

Company. Its l.ength including the nozzle .... ,i11 

24 lbs. The 

within 

:.~o:re than. adsqllH te for the i5 

will Oe to B-r:;co:u:rr:i-od&te 

such as cc~crbte extensions of the North 

fS in of 

f' 0 .. 

the 

actions wc~ld be 

~I_;::,:~. 

CCircera prGa go-aht::!2.r1 

.1 

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1.. m:neuia tely tv::; Gan modify the 13-52H and retrofit the firJt 0-21 to th,,,, 

--) configuration within six months. He further states that he could 

retrofit the first three D-21 1 8 at a one per month rate with the remaining 

twelve cOrf\J.ng off his line at a two per month rate. ASS1Jming em immedi8-te 

FIo-ahead he feels that it is feasible to resume flight testing of the 

lB configuration in the last quarter of FI6? I t is anticipated 

that three i) separations would be required to prove-out the concept 

and tha t j) launches with cameras installed would follow thereafter at 

a one per month rate. 

LO. 7hio' first of the seven production D-2lB 1 s would come off the line in 

The next four would be produced at a one per month rate 

wi.t:1 ttl,,, lnst two produced in June 1968. The airframe contractor would 

Lhe:::; be; in a position to produce drones at a two per ;nonth rB.te thereafter 

;':l,., r~ further drone buy be approved early in FY6S. The seven additional 

::eraL; would be produced at a one per month ra.te starting September 

,; 'wl.th the 13.st ca;nera delivered in HATCh 1968. 

:)3tLmated ~21.07cH of 1"Y67 funds would be required for the B-52H/ 

with the previously requested 340 51LJ:<i for the 

-- ;;:,:,thor-:lr:jne comb1n8tion. A detailed compaTison is attached h8r8-

., .... .,>. .~ t w:ll be noted that the reduction is primBTily in the 

.. :--r~ 'i>'" .'J~:j ri2'.f= .. ::,cts the fEL~t that the H-21 will not be flown after 

:.';,:,,0 Y8:::'Y' and th::;,t the B-::2H will be blue-suit maintained. 

!\:r~ -: :'('q;~~r:3;"'lents have been estimated for two alternatives. 

for 1m adeli tional buy of 

t S wOll.ld be prodllced 

itt J ~Jith the last in 

. . 

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Approved for Release: 2018/11/16 C05115204 

~:rrOI1.-:n rate S Lar 

2 EL3SllrrteS B.n 

acidi.tional of 

Ql terrlati ve w011-1d ~b6 

wi ttl the -Last '" ~.. .,. (~f~LLl Vf3r:3<! III [;2 

a it a one I)er rGonth rate in 

in Yebruary 80th a,lternatives 8·ssurre that the 

drones and c;ameras wil: 

SIJ.pport costs ~haV'e been calculated on. that It :L"c th~it 

60. of FY68 funds would be requ~,-red f'or alt'3rnative 1 an'l for 

alternative 2. This compares with a previously requested 71. for a 

24 drone/12 camera buy and HD-21 launches at a one per month rate. 

more detailed cost comparison of' both of these altern8.tives and the previollsly proposed program are given in Incl 2. 

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