| Thunderbird | |
|---|---|
&sq=&lang=&file=File:English_Electric_Thunderbird_II_%E2%80%93_IWM_Duxford_(51290684619).jpg) Thunderbird II at Imperial War Museum Duxford | |
| Type | Surface-to-air missile |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1959-1977 |
| Used by | British Army Royal Saudi Air Force |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | English Electric |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 20 ft 10 in (6.35 m) |
| Diameter | 1 ft 8.7 in (0.527 m) |
| Wingspan | 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) |
| Warhead | Continuous-rod HE warhead |
| Engine | liquid fuel rocket 4 x Gosling solid fuel rocket |
| Maximum speed | Mach 2.7[citation needed] |
Guidance system | semi-active radar homing |
Launch platform | Single rail, ground mounted (not mobile) |
The English Electric Thunderbird was a British surface-to-air missile produced for the British Army. Thunderbird was primarily intended to attack higher altitude targets at ranges up to approximately 30 miles (48 km), providing wide-area air defence for the Army in the field. Anti-aircraft guns were still used for lower altitude threats. Thunderbird entered service in 1959 and underwent a major mid-life upgrade to Thunderbird 2 in 1966, before being slowly phased out by 1977. Ex-Army Thunderbirds were also operated by the Royal Saudi Air Force after 1967.
Thunderbird had performance similar to other semi-portable missiles like the US MIM-23 Hawk and fully mobile Soviet 2K11 Krug, although it pre-dates both of these systems. After its mid-life upgrades, which shared several components with the RAF's Bristol Bloodhound, Thunderbird featured a continuous-wave radar semi-active homing system that was highly resistant to radar jamming and deception, and was able to track targets even at very low altitudes.
Thunderbird was the Army's only heavy anti-aircraft missile. As missile systems like Thunderbird made flight at medium and higher altitudes practically suicidal, nap-of-the-earth flying became the norm and even shorter-range, faster acting systems were needed. Thunderbird's role was taken over by the much smaller Rapier missile as it became available.