HISTORY - Page 21
III. ARMY-NAVY COOPERATIVE PROGRAM
DOD's decision relative to the joint cooperative effort
between Army and Navy to develop IRBM Nr 2 did
little to deter the Redstone group's development
plans, although in the very recent past they had been
studying to satisfy either Army or Air Force
requirements. Since the Navy was now in the
program, the configuration of the proposed missile
would have to change drastically to suit shipboard or
possibly submarine operations.
Development Plans
As may be recalled, the Secretary’s decision was made
on 8 November 1955 and by the 28th of the month
General Medaris presented a tentative development
plan to OSD-BMD that had been previously approved
by JANBMC. The Navy, too, had reacted quickly, for on
17 November a Special Project Office (SPO) was
created with Rear Admiral W. F. Raborn appointed
director. SPO was established to handle problems
associated with the ship-launched version of the
JUPITER weapon system
29
.
Prior to the start of actual development operations,
the Army and Navy worked out ground rules as to
which service would accomplish a specific function or
task. According to DOD, both services were to agree
upon military characteristics (MC's) and performance
for a single land - and sea- based missile. ABMA was
responsible for developing the basic missile, and
operational objectives for both employment concepts
were to "be accomplished simultaneously rather than
compromise Navy work to gain an early land
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29. Prop, 23 Nov 55, subj: Army-Navy IRBM Tentative Dev Plan - FY 56- FY 57, in ABMA Ref Book, subj: JUP, Part I,
Tab B-3; JUP Dev Plan, FY 58, 29 Sep 56, Hist Off files; House Rpt Nr 67, Op. cit., p. 24.