Convair X11 / X12 / XB65 Atlas ICBM

In October 1945, U.S. Army issued supersonic missile requirement to the industries which received many military missiles technical papers from Nazi Germany. In 1946, Convair submitted several proposals and was received funding for the MX-774 rocket study. In 1949, Soviet detonated its first nuclear weapon, U.S.A.F. gave highest priority to Convair to develop a more conventional long range nuclear armed missiles. Convair suggested a series of test articles, 16 single-stage test-bed that designated X-11 (later changed to Atlas A), and 13 one-and-one-half stage prototypes which designated X-12 (later changed to Atlas B, then XB-65 as a bomber category, and then XSM-16 as the strategic missile). The first launch of the Atlas A was in 1957, 5 failures from 8 launches. The first launch of the Atlas B was in 1958, 4 failures from 10 launches. In 1959, Atlas D (CGM-16D) ICBM officially declared operational and taken over by the Strategic Air Command. It entered the U.S. Air Force first ICBM squadron and used as space launcher until 1967.