Hammer (missile)

Hammer
A Hammer Mk.5A IRBM test launch in 2012
Type	SRBM (Mk.1, Mk.2) MRBM (Mk.3, Mk.4) IRBM (Mk.5A) SLBM (Mk.5B)
Place of origin	Daobac
Service history
In service	Active
Used by	Daoan Air Force
Production history
Designer	Mach Aerospace
Manufacturer	Mach Aerospace United Defense Systems
Produced	1980 - Present
No. built	Classified
Variants	8
Specifications
Length	19 m (62 ft 4 in) (Mk.5A)
Diameter	1.8 m (5 ft 11 in) (Mk.5A)
Warhead	Thermobaric High-yield explosive Bunker buster Cluster munition Incendiary
Engine	Two-stage solid-fuel rocket engines (Mk.5)
Propellant	NEPE-75
Operational range	Up to 5,200 km (3,200 mi) (Mk.5A)
Speed	Mach 12 (Mk.5A/B)
Guidance system	Intertial GP20-B (SRBM, MRBM & IRBM) Astro-interntial guidance (SLBM)
Transport	Missile silo Ballistic-missile submarine Mobile missile vehicle

The Hammer missile (Daoan: Búa) is a family of short to intermediate range ballistic missiles developed by Daobac and operated by Daoan Congressional Republic Air Force. The missie was designed and manufactured by Mach Aerospace with certain components sourced from United Defense Systems, a subsidiary of Tran International. The successful development and operation of the Dragon 1 small-lift launch vehicle in 1975 by the Daoan Aeronautical Institute sparked renewed interest among Daoan military planners to obtain a weapon platform with long-range strike capability as part of Daobac's strategy of deterrence. Research and development of Daobac's ballistic missile program took place from 1978 with the first successful test launch taking place in 1986. To date there are eight primary versions of the Hammer; the Mk.1, Mk.2, Mk.3, Mk.4, Mk.5A/B/C/D with each missile being an improvement from one another. The Mk.1 is the first short-range ballistic missile (SRBM), the Mk.2 classified as a medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM), the Mk.4 being the first Daoan MRBM capable of carrying a multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) payload and the Mk.5A version classified as a MIRV-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM). Current missiles in active use are the Mk.5A and Mk.5B, with all Mk.1, Mk.2, Mk.3 and Mk.4 versions having been decommissioned in 1995, 2005, 2013 and 2021 respectively.

History

Origin

Daoan military planners have long envisioned to both have effective strategic & tactical first-strike and retaliatory attack options in a military conflict with Yunxia or other major powers in the Kayatman & Ozerosi region. The advent of ballistic missile technology in the mid 20th century provided nations with the ability to initiate mass-scale attacks against opponents through land, air and sea based platforms. However due to Daobac's limited budget it needed to prioritize in building up its conventional forces first before diverting funds towards a ballistic missile program. Advancements in rocketry and missile technologies through the Daoan Aeronautical Institute (DAI) would help provide access to the Daobac Self-Defense Forces (DSDF) to explore and assess how to weaponize its domestically made missiles. Daoan ambitions for a submarine-launched ballistic missile program dates all the way back to 1965 when then Rear Admiral <INSERT NAME> first voiced his concern that with the rapid advancement in military technology Daobac's current conventional forces are not enough to deter a future attack from Yunxia or another potentially hostile state. The procurement of a ballistic missile platform would not only provide deterrence but it provides Daobac with the ability for a massive first or retaliatory strike against its adversaries. Due to Daobac's relatively small economy however priority was given to maturing Daobac's conventional forces.

Research & development

It was not until 1978 when the Ministry of National Security (MNS) approved a budget for the research and development of a ballistic missile program. A committee comprised of members from all major branches of the DSDF alongside representatives from the DAI was established by the MNS to help ascertain the feasibility and necessity of a Daoan ballistic missile program. By 1979 the committee's conclusions were as follows: (1) that in the immediate future a ballistic missile is not a critical need, (2) however within the next seven to ten years it would be imperative that a ballistic missile be procured. It was also determined that any ballistic missile procurement program would have to be developed domestically as it would be unlikely that foreign countries, even friendly ones, would be willing to share highly sensitive technologies. A domestic tendering process resulted in Mach Aerospace winning the tender process to design and develop the missile. Manufacturing would be done by Mach itself and certain components procured from United Defense Systems. Sounding rockets as well as working units of the Dragon 1 small-lift launch vehicle (SLV) were provided by the DAI to Mach Aerospace engineers and designers. Mach Aerospace was able to expedite their research and development process using a combination of the transfer of knowledge from the DAI's extensive experience in developing launch vehicles, as well as the advantage of being able to directly study a working rocket. The first working prototype was tested in 1983 but failed to separate failed to achieve flight. A total of five prototypes were developed until the sixth and final one achieved flight in 1985.

Active service

After the success of its first prototype in 1986 the program resulted in the creation of the Hammer Mk.1 short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) that could be launched from static missile silos. With a range of only 500 km it was only capable of striking land targets in the Nangang province of Yunxia which limited its effectiveness. The Hammer Mk.2 was a sigificant improvement upon the Mk.1 with a maximum range of up to 1,500 km.

Versions

Below is a list of known versions of the Hammer and its variants.

Name	Type	In Service	Status	MIRV	Max Range
Hammer Mk.1	SRBM	1986 - 1995	Decomissioned		500 km
Hammer Mk.2	SRBM	1994 - 2005	Decomissioned		700 km
Hammer Mk.3	MRBM	2004 - 2013	Decomissioned		1,500 km
Hammer Mk.4	MRBM	2012 - 2021	Decomissioned		2,500 km
Hammer Mk.5A	IRBM	2020 - Present	Active		5,200 km
Hammer Mk.5B	SLBM	2023 - Present	Active		5,200 km