XSM - 73 Goose The Fairchild SM - 73 ( originally Bull Goose ) was a sub - sonic , jet - powered , ground - launched Decoy Cruise missile . Development . Starting in December 1952 Fairchild began concept studies for a ground - launched long range decoy missile that could simulate strategic bomber s on radar . In March 1953 , the United States Air Force released General Operational Requirement ( GOR ) 16 which called for a long range decoy missile to increase the effectiveness of Strategic Air Command bomber s by confusing and saturating an air defense system . Multiple SM - 73 missiles would be ground - launched from Strategic Air Command bases located in the continental United States . Fifty percent of the deployed SM - 73 missiles would be launched within the first hour after an alert and the remaining missiles would be launched one hour later . The requirement called for 85 percent of the decoy missiles to arrive at the target area within 115 nm ( 185 km ) . The SM - 73 was to fly 4 , 000 nm ( 7 , 408 km ) at speed of at least 0 . 85 Mach at an operating altitude of 50 , 000 ft ( 15 , 240 m ) with a payload of 500 lb ( 227 kg ) . After flying 2 , 500 nm ( 4 , 650 km ) , the SM - 73 ' would simulate the performance of the B - 47 Stratojet or B - 52 Stratofortress over the final 1 , 500 nm ( 2 , 780 km ) of flight . Study contracts were awarded to Convair and Fairchild in July 1954 by the United States Air Force under the project designation MX - 2223 . The Fairchild MX - 2223 design called for a non - metallic fuselage with swept wings and a v - tail . Radar reflectors were located in the fuselage and on pods positioned on the wing tips to simulate the radar return of a bomber . Design . In December 1955 , Fairchild was awarded a contract to develop Weapon System 123A which included the SM - 73 missile . American Machine and Foundry Company was responsible for the ground equipment , Ramo - Woodridge Corporation was responsible for electronic equipment , and Paul Omohundro Co who was responsible for airframe elements . Two engine contracts were awarded by the USAF in November 1954 to minimize development risk . Each engine was in the 2 , 450 lbf ( 10 . 9 kN ) thrust class with a thrust to weight ratio goal of 10 : 1 . General Electric was awarded a contract for the development of the General Electric J85 and Fairchild was awarded a contract for the a competing engine the Fairchild J83 . Fairchild proposed a lightweight engine of conventional design . The proposed General Electric engine had a more advanced design , involving more risk , but having a higher thrust to weight ratio . The XSM - 73 was powered by the Fairchild J83 on all test flights but was also capable of using the General Electric J85 . The Fairchild J83 was operating by early 1957 . Like the MX - 2223 design , the SM - 73 utilized a non - metallic fiberglass fuselage . The swept wing of the MX - 2223 design evolved to a fiberglass 52°delta wing . A Thiokol solid - propellant rocket booster was used to launch the SM - 73 to a speed of 300 knots ( 345 mph ) . Cruise speed for the SM - 73 was 488 knots ( 562 mph ) . The SM - 73 had a fuel capacity of 803 gal ( 3 , 040 L ) of JP - 4 . This fuel was stored in 10 fuselage and six wing tanks . An autopilot used a Rate integrating gyroscope for directional control . The rate integrating gyroscope could be pre - programmed to turn the SM - 73 . Pitch and roll control were provided by elevon s either operating in phase or asymmetrically . Yaw control was provided by a rudder . The control system positioned flight controls by sending electrical signals to hydraulic actuator s located at each flight control . The SM - 73 was designed to carry radar reflectors and active electronic countermeasures operating in S - band , L - band , and lower frequencies . The SM - 73 was not armed . Funding issues and problems with the fiberglass wing , the booster rocket , and the Fairchild J83 engine delayed testing . Test and evaluation began in February 1957 with rocket sled tests at Holloman Air Force Base . A B - 57 Canberra was modified and used as a flying engine testbed for the Fairchild J83 . Testing of the SM - 73 then transitioned to Patrick Air Force Base in June 1957 . At Patrick Air Force Base , launch complexes 21 and 22 were constructed near the Cape Canaveral Light to support SM - 73 testing . Five dummy booster launches and fifteen test flights were flown between March 1957 and December 1958 . The United States Air Force planned to purchase 2 , 328 operational missiles and 53 missiles for test and evaluation . This would have provided enough missiles for 10 squadrons . Deployment was planned to start in 1961 and be completed by October 1963 . Bull Goose bases were initially planned at Duluth Municipal Airport , Minnesota and Ethan Allen Air Force Base , Vermont . Construction of Bull Goose missile sites began in August 1958 . In December 1958 the program was canceled because the missile was not able to simulate a B - 52 on radar . The Fairchild J83 engine program was also canceled in November 1958 . Total program cost at cancellation was $ 136 . 5 million U . S . Dollars .