XSM-73 Goose

Lore & Background

Development of the Goose began in December 1952 with concept studies by Fairchild. In March 1953, the United States Air Force issued General Operational Requirement 16, calling for a long-range decoy missile to increase the effectiveness of Strategic Air Command bombers. Study contracts were awarded to Convair and Fairchild in July 1954 under project MX-2223. Fairchild's design featured a non-metallic fiberglass fuselage, a delta wing, and a v-tail, with radar reflectors in the fuselage and on wingtip pods to simulate a bomber's radar return. The missile was to be ground-launched from Strategic Air Command bases in the continental United States, with a requirement that 50 percent of deployed missiles could be launched within the first hour after an order, and the remainder within two hours. The SM-73 was to fly 4,000 nautical miles at Mach 0.85 or greater at 50,000 feet, carrying a 500-pound payload of radar reflectors and active electronic countermeasures. It was unarmed.

Testing began in February 1957 with rocket sled tests at Holloman Air Force Base, followed by flights from Patrick Air Force Base using launch complexes 21 and 22 near Cape Canaveral Light. Five dummy booster launches and fifteen test flights were conducted between March 1957 and December 1958. The Fairchild J83 engine powered all test flights, though the missile was also capable of using the General Electric J85. Funding issues and problems with the fiberglass wing, booster rocket, and engine delayed testing. The United States Air Force planned to purchase 2,328 operational missiles and 53 test missiles for ten squadrons, with deployment to start in 1961 at Duluth Municipal Airport, Minnesota, and Ethan Allen Air Force Base, Vermont. Construction of launch sites began in August 1958.

The program was canceled in December 1958 because the missile could not simulate a B-52 on radar. The Fairchild J83 engine program was also canceled in November 1958. Total program cost at cancellation was $136.5 million USD. The SD-5 Osprey reconnaissance drone was later developed using the Goose as a basis.

Reader's Guide

The XSM-73 Goose represents a Cold War effort to enhance the survivability of strategic bomber forces through deception. By launching large numbers of decoy missiles alongside manned bombers, the Air Force aimed to overwhelm and confuse enemy air defenses, forcing them to engage false targets. The program's cancellation due to the missile's inability to accurately simulate a B-52 on radar highlights the technical challenge of electronic warfare and radar signature replication at the time. Despite never reaching operational status, the Goose contributed to the development of later unmanned systems, notably the SD-5 Osprey reconnaissance drone, which reused the airframe design. The program also advanced lightweight turbojet engine technology through the Fairchild J83 and General Electric J85, the latter of which became widely used in later aircraft. The Goose's legacy lies in its role as an early example of a dedicated decoy cruise missile, a concept that would be revisited in later decades with more sophisticated systems. Three XSM-73 airframes survive in museums, including one at the National Museum of the United States Air Force.

Did You Know?

• The XSM-73 was originally designated the Bull Goose before being redesignated SM-73.
• The missile used a non-metallic fiberglass fuselage and delta wing to reduce radar signature.
• The SD-5 Osprey reconnaissance drone was developed using the Goose as a basis.