The State - News from May 25, 1989

A missile designed to destroy enemy radar without being detected has undergone its second successful test, Air Force officials said. The AGM-136A missile, code named Tacit Rainbow, flew May 17 at the China Lake Naval Weapons Center test base. The missile was launched from a B-52 bomber and homed in on its target, even though the radar it tracks was shut off once during the flight, Air Force officials said. The missile is built by Los Angeles-based Northrop Corp., which also makes the B-2 stealth bomber. The AGM-136A is similar to present anti-radar missiles, which follow enemy radar waves to their source and destroy the installation. However, the new missile is designed to “loiter,” or go into a holding pattern, if the radar is turned off, thus countering one defense that can be used against such missiles.