Lance MGM-52A
Lance is a surface-to-surface ballistic missile designed to provide greater support for Army divisions. It is about 20 feet long, 22 inches in diameter, weighs about 3,300 pounds, can carry a nuclear or conventional warhead and has a range of about 75 miles. The Lance was the first Army missile to use prepackaged storable liquid propellant.
Lance, initially called Missile “B,” was a highly mobile, division support weapon system replacing the LACROSSE guided missile and the HONEST JOHN rocket. Early in 1962, contractors were asked to submit proposals for LANCE. Eight industrial proposals were received, and study contracts were awarded to Ling Temco Vought and to the Chrysler Corporation. In November 1962, Ling Temco Vought was selected as prime contractor for development and initial production of the LANCE missile system. It was first test fired at White Sands on March 15, 1965.
LANCE was deployed by the United States, Germany, Israel, Netherlands, Belgium, and Great Britain. Lance has been used as a target for anti-missile missile systems. At White Sands in 1987, the Flexible Lightweight Agile Guided Experiment (FLAGE) succeeded in scoring a direct hit against a Lance missile in flight.
