An assessment of Seaslug Mk2.

This is an assessment of the performance of the Mk2 missile.
I have full details of 68 Seaslug firings, and partial details of a further 36; for this study I have initially taken the former set. Of these 67, six were declared 'no test'; for reasons such as the telemetry transmitter failing, or the destruction of the target because the Range Safety Officer believed (incorrectly, as it turned out) that it was about to fly beyond the range safety limit. Of the remaining 62 firings 25 were classed as unsuccessful and 37 as successful, this gives an overall success rate of 59·7%.
If, however, we separate those firings at targets below 1000 feet the picture changes. For targets above 1000 feet there were 35 successful firings out of 54, and below 1000 feet just 2 successful out of 8. This gives a success rate of 64·8% for the former, and just 25% for those below 1000 feet.

One fascinating fact that emerged from this assessment it that the missile physically struck the target on no less than 6 occasions -effectively 10% of overall firings- at ranges up to 34,500 yards and at an altitude of 53,500 feet; and also as low as 80 feet!



I'd like to thank all those in the FPSyA office for giving me permission to publish this information -it's greatly appreciated. I'd also like to thank the curator and staff of the Collingwood Historic Collection for allowing me access to their archives.

This page copyright SR Jenkins June 2020; reproduction without prior approval is prohibited.

Page last updated: 15^th June 2020.
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