The General Dynamics RIM-24 Tartar was a medium-range naval surface-to-air missile (SAM), among the earliest SAMs to equip United States Navy ships. The Tartar was the third of the so-called "3 Ts", the three primary SAMs the Navy fielded in the 1960s and 1970s, the others being the RIM-2 Terrier and RIM-8 Talos. History The Tartar was born of a need for a more lightweight system for smaller ships that could engage targets at very close range. Essentially, the Tartar was simply a RIM-2C Terrier without the secondary booster. The Tartar was never given a SAM-N-x designation and was referred to as Missile Mk 15 until the unified Army-Navy designation system was introduced in 1963. The Tartar was used on several ships of a variety of sizes. Initially, the Mk 11 twin-arm launcher was used; later ships used the Mk 13 and Mk 22 single-arm launchers. Early versions proved to be unreliable. The Improved Tartar retrofit program upgraded the earlier missiles to the much improved RIM-24C standard. Further development was canceled, and a new missile, the RIM-66 Standard, was designed to replace it. Even after the upgrade to a new missile, ships were still said to be "Tartar ships" because they carried the Tartar Guided Missile Fire Control System. A dedicated anti-ship version for the Federal German Navy carrying a Bullpup warhead was abandoned when Germany purchased MM38 Exocet instead. Variations RIM-24A: Original missile RIM-24B: Improved Tartar RIM-24C: Improved Tartar Retrofit (ITR), aka Tartar Reliability Improvement Program (TRIP) Ships carrying Tartar fire control systems (Italy) (Italy) / (Germany) / (Australia) (guided missile modification) (guided missile modification) (guided missile modification) with Mk 13 missile launcher (retired from service) Operators Past Operators Royal Australian Navy French Navy German Navy Italian Navy Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Royal Netherlands Navy United States Navy See also Similar missile systems M-1 Volna (S-125; SA-N-1 "Goa") Seaslug missile External links General Dynamics RIM-24 Tartar Terrier NH 88489 Cold War surface-to-air missiles of the United States Naval surface-to-air missiles Naval surface-to-air missiles of the United States Naval weapons of the United States Surface-to-air missiles of the United States Military equipment introduced in the 1960s