MIM-46A Mauler

The Mauler was under development during the early 1960s. It was a surface-to-air missile designed to be highly mobile and capable of engaging both aircraft and missiles. Each missile was about six feet long, five inches in diameter and weighed about 120 pounds. It was solid fueled, carried a conventional warhead and was radar guided.

In April 1964 a Mauler Program Management Charter was instituted on this date. Revised on 13 May, the charter stated the mission, organization, functions, and operating methods to be used in managing the MAULER program. The outstanding accomplishment in this new method of management was the cooperation and coordination between government and contractor.

On 19 July 1964 the Secretary of Defense approved the termination of the MAULER program. On 10 November 65 the Special Assistant for Project Management formally announced the termination of the MAULER Project Office. The MICOM Research and Development Directorate assumed residual functions concerning technological aspects of the system.

RIM-46 Sea Mauler

In the early 1960s, the US Navy planned to deploy a ship-based short-range Basic Point Defense Missile System [BPDMS]. It would be much smaller than then-current ship missile defense. Initially the RIM-46 Sea Mauler missile was to be used for the BPDMS, but this was cancelled in 1964.