Blue Steel (missile)

The Avro Blue Steel was a British air-launched, rocket-powered stand-off missile, intended to arm the V bomber force. Designed and built by Avro, it was intended to allow the bombers to launch their nuclear payload without flying directly over heavily defended targets, increasing the survivability of the aircraft.

Blue Steel Mark 1 entered service in February 1963. The missile was propelled by a Stentor rocket engine burning kerosene and hydrogen peroxide, giving it a range of approximately 100 nautical miles (185 km; 115 mi) at a speed of Mach 3.0. Guidance was inertial, with a terminal active radar homing phase to improve accuracy. The warhead was a British-designed thermonuclear weapon.

Operational experience revealed several limitations. The liquid propellant was hazardous and required extensive safety precautions during handling and storage. Furthermore, the launch aircraft had to climb to high altitude to allow the missile engine to ignite reliably, increasing the bomber's vulnerability. The missile was also susceptible to jamming, and its accuracy degraded at longer ranges.

Work began on an improved Blue Steel Mark 2, which would have featured a longer range and a more advanced propulsion system. However, this project was cancelled in December 1959 due to the increasing effectiveness of Soviet air defenses and the emergence of submarine-launched ballistic missiles as a more survivable deterrent.

Blue Steel remained in service for only a short period. It was progressively withdrawn from operational use starting in 1968, being completely retired by the end of 1970. It was replaced by the WE.177 free-fall nuclear bomb, which offered improved performance and simplified logistics. The Blue Steel missile program provides an example of the challenges associated with developing and deploying complex weapons systems in the face of rapidly evolving technology and strategic considerations.