Munitions

AGM-45 Shrike

Also known as
  • Shrike
  • ASM-N-10
  • AGM-45
  • AGM-45A
  • AGM-45B
  • ATM-45A
  • ATM-45B
  • ATM-45A-1

The AGM-45 Shrike was a U.S. air-launched anti-radiation missile adapted from the AIM-7 Sparrow to home on hostile radar emissions. It gave Wild Weasel and naval strike crews an early radar-suppression weapon, but its fixed-frequency seekers, narrow field of view, and lack of target memory meant crews had to plan around specific emitters and radar shutdown tactics.

AGM-45 Shrike, Air-to-surface anti-radiation missile, Munitions
Image source: File:AGM-45 Shrike on cart.jpg | Wikimedia Commons

Role in Conflicts

1955 Vietnam War
Electronic Warfare
Side
United States and South Vietnam

U.S. Wild Weasel aircraft used AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missiles for radar and SAM-site suppression in Vietnam, including extensive preemptive Shrike launches during 1972 operations.

1973 Yom Kippur War
Electronic Warfare
Side
Israel

Israeli aircraft launched AGM-45 Shrike missiles against Arab SA-2 and SA-3 radar defenses during the 1973 war; the direct-source record supports use but keeps effectiveness claims limited.

1982 Falklands War
Electronic Warfare
Side
United Kingdom

RAF Vulcan Black Buck anti-radar missions used U.S.-supplied AGM-45 Shrike missiles against Argentine radar and air-defense targets near Port Stanley.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
United States
Type
Air-to-surface anti-radiation missile
Service note
Cold War
Designer
Naval Weapons Center
Designed
1958
Unit cost
About $7,000 in the 1970s
Produced
1963-1982
Number built
About 18,500, with some sources counting more when including development and related units
Developed from
AIM-7 Sparrow III

Specifications

Guidance
Passive radar homing with seeker sections tuned to specific radar bands
Range
About 7 miles in early service; AGM-45B maximum lofted range about 25 miles / 40 km
Length
10 ft / 3.05 m (AGM-45B)
Diameter
8 in / 20.3 cm
Wingspan
36 in / 91.4 cm
Weight
390 lb / 177 kg (AGM-45B)
Speed
About Mach 2 in specialist specifications
Propulsion
Rocketdyne MK 39 or Aerojet MK 53 on AGM-45A; Aerojet MK 78 dual-thrust solid rocket on AGM-45B
Warhead
149 lb MK 5/MK 86 or 147 lb WAU-8/WAU-9 blast-fragmentation warheads
Variants

Shrike designations combined A/B missile bodies with seeker sections tuned to radar bands; ATM designations identified inert training rounds.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
ASM-N-10Original development designation

Naval Weapons Center development began under the ASM-N-10 designation before the June 1963 redesignation to AGM-45A.

Sources: AGM-45 Shrike | Designation-Systems

AGM-45AInitial production missile

The initial Shrike missile used Rocketdyne MK 39 or some Aerojet MK 53 motors and could carry MK 5, MK 86, or WAU-8/B blast-fragmentation warheads.

Sources: AGM-45 Shrike | Designation-Systems

ATM-45ATraining round

Training missile with the AGM-45A motor and seeker but an inert warhead section.

Sources: AGM-45 Shrike | Designation-Systems

AGM-45BImproved motor and warhead missile

Early-1970s variant with a modified warhead and Aerojet MK 78 dual-thrust motor, increasing maximum lofted range to about 40 km / 25 miles.

Sources: AGM-45 Shrike | Designation-Systems

ATM-45BTraining round

Inert training variant of the AGM-45B.

Sources: AGM-45 Shrike | Designation-Systems

AGM-45A/B seeker subvariantsRadar-band tuned seeker sections

Specialist designation data lists produced seeker families including -1, -2, -3, -3A, -3B, -4, -6, -7, -9, -9A, and -10, while noting that -5 and -8 were not produced.

Sources: AGM-45 Shrike | Designation-Systems

Carrier Aircraft

Shrike was integrated across U.S. and allied strike or defense-suppression aircraft, with platform-specific evidence strongest for these cataloged aircraft.

CarrierCarrier typeCarriage evidence
F-4G Wild Weasel, Electronic warfare fighter aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsF-4G Wild WeaselElectronic warfare fighter aircraft

The F-4G Wild Weasel fact sheet lists AGM-45 Shrike among the aircraft's armament options.

Sources: McDonnell Douglas F-4G Wild Weasel | National Museum of the United States Air Force

A-4 Skyhawk, Carrier-based light attack aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsA-4 SkyhawkCarrier-based attack aircraft

The Skyhawk ordnance page lists AGM-45 Shrike among the A-4's smart weapons and names A-4C/E/F/K/L/M/N and TA-4F/J/K as Shrike-capable variants.

Sources: Skyhawk Ordnance | The Skyhawk Association

IAI Kfir, Fighter-bomber and multirole combat aircraft, Aircraft & UAVsIAI KfirIsraeli multirole fighter

Forecast International reports that Israel mounted AGM-45 Shrike missiles on F-4 and Kfir aircraft.

Sources: AGM-45 Shrike - Archived 10/2001 | Forecast International

Timeline

AGM-45 Shrike Key Events

  1. Naval Weapons Center work begins

    Naval Weapons Center began Shrike development by combining a new anti-radiation seeker with a modified AIM-7 Sparrow III missile body.

    Sources: Caps, Missile, Training, Air-to-Ground, Anti-Radiation, ATM-45A-1 Shrike | National Air and Space Museum, AGM-45 Shrike | Designation-Systems

  2. AGM-45A designation and production

    The ASM-N-10 was redesignated AGM-45A in June 1963, with large-scale production of the initial model beginning at Texas Instruments and Sperry Rand/Univac.

    Sources: AGM-45 Shrike | Designation-Systems

  3. U.S. Navy service entry

    Shrike entered U.S. Navy service in 1965.

    Sources: Caps, Missile, Training, Air-to-Ground, Anti-Radiation, ATM-45A-1 Shrike | National Air and Space Museum

  4. U.S. Air Force service entry

    The U.S. Air Force adopted Shrike in 1966 as Wild Weasel defense-suppression aircraft moved beyond rockets and bombs against radar-guided SAM sites.

    Sources: Caps, Missile, Training, Air-to-Ground, Anti-Radiation, ATM-45A-1 Shrike | National Air and Space Museum, Planting the Seeds of SEAD: The Wild Weasel in Vietnam

  5. Large-scale Southeast Asia use

    Air University history records extensive U.S. AGM-45 employment between April and October 1972, including preemptive launches intended to suppress SAM radar operation.

    Sources: Planting the Seeds of SEAD: The Wild Weasel in Vietnam

  6. Production ends and Falklands use

    Production ended around 1982, the same year RAF Vulcans used U.S.-supplied Shrike missiles during Black Buck anti-radar missions in the Falklands War.

    Sources: AGM-45 Shrike | Designation-Systems, The Most Daring Raid? Operation Black Buck and the Falklands Conflict

  7. U.S. inventory withdrawal

    The Shrike left U.S. inventory in 1992 after replacement by later anti-radiation missiles including AGM-88 HARM.

    Sources: AGM-45 Shrike Anti-Radar Missile | National Museum of the United States Air Force, Caps, Missile, Training, Air-to-Ground, Anti-Radiation, ATM-45A-1 Shrike | National Air and Space Museum

Media

AGM-45 Shrike Images

AGM-45 Shrike, Air-to-surface anti-radiation missile, Munitions - view 1
Source: File:F-105 Thunderchief carrying AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missile.jpg | Wikimedia Commons
AGM-45 Shrike, Air-to-surface anti-radiation missile, Munitions - view 2
Source: File:AGM-45 and AGM-78B on F-105G.jpg | Wikimedia Commons
Related Weapon Systems
AGM-65 Maverick, Air-to-surface guided missile, MunitionsMunitionsAGM-65 MaverickAir-to-surface guided missileThe AGM-65 Maverick is a U.S. air-to-surface guided missile family for close air support, interdiction, and defense suppression from aircraft including the A-10, F-16, F-15E, AV-8, F/A-18, and P-3C. Air Force and Navy fact sheets describe electro-optical, imaging-infrared, and laser-guided seekers paired with either shaped-charge or heavyweight penetrating warheads. Official sources document large-scale Desert Storm employment, later Iraq and Afghanistan use, and AGM-65F loading on a U.S. Navy P-3C Orion during 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve.
EA-18G Growler, Carrier-capable airborne electronic attack aircraft, Electronic WarfareElectronic WarfareEA-18G GrowlerCarrier-capable airborne electronic attack aircraftThe EA-18G Growler is a Boeing-built electronic attack derivative of the two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet, fielded to jam, detect, and attack hostile radars, communications, and air-defense networks while retaining missile carriage for suppression missions. U.S. Navy and Australian Growlers provide carrier or land-based electronic warfare support, with early combat deployment in Iraq and Libya in 2010-2011 and later documented use in 2014 Operation Inherent Resolve, Red Sea operations against Houthi forces, and the U.S.-Iran strike context.

Sources

AGM-45 Shrike Anti-Radar Missile | National Museum of the United States Air ForcePublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports AGM-45 Shrike background, guidance limitations, range context, Southeast Asia anti-radar role, and public-domain museum image context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Caps, Missile, Training, Air-to-Ground, Anti-Radiation, ATM-45A-1 Shrike | National Air and Space MuseumPublisher: National Air and Space Museum | Note: Supports AGM-45 Shrike development, production, manufacturer context, service entry, seeker-section design, and retirement context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03AGM-45 Shrike | Designation-SystemsPublisher: Designation-Systems | Note: Supports AGM-45 Shrike design details, production count, variants, dimensions, propulsion, warhead, range, seeker subvariants, and carrier aircraft background. | Accessed: 2026-07-03AGM-45 Shrike - Archived 10/2001 | Forecast InternationalPublisher: Forecast International | Note: Supports manufacturer and contractor context, reports AGM-45 Shrike was used during the 1990 Gulf War against Iraqi air defenses, reports AGM-45 was employed by U.S. Naval forces in the 1981 U.S.-Libya Confrontations, and supports F-4/Kfir carriage context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Planting the Seeds of SEAD: The Wild Weasel in VietnamPublisher: Department of Defense / Air University | Note: Supports U.S. AGM-45 Shrike employment by Wild Weasel aircraft in the 1955 Vietnam War, including 1972 preemptive launches against SAM sites. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Golan 1973 Air Defense Article | Nuova Antologia MilitarePublisher: Nuova Antologia Militare | Note: Supports Israeli AGM-45 Shrike inventory, wartime receipt, and launches against SA-2 and SA-3 defenses in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. | Accessed: 2026-07-03The Most Daring Raid? Operation Black Buck and the Falklands ConflictPublisher: Royal Air Force Air Power Review | Note: Supports RAF Vulcan use of AGM-45 Shrike anti-radar missiles on two Black Buck missions during the 1982 Falklands War. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Brazil | Office of the HistorianPublisher: Office of the Historian, U.S. Department of State | Note: Supports U.S.-supplied AGM-45 Shrike carried by a British Vulcan during the 1982 Falklands War after the Black Buck aircraft diverted to Brazil with a Shrike missile aboard. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Air-Delivered Munitions in Desert Storm | Estimative Error ProbablePublisher: Estimative Error Probable | Note: Compiles Gulf War Air Power Survey munition-expenditure data and lists AGM-45 Shrike among anti-radiation missiles expended in the 1990 Gulf War. | Accessed: 2026-07-03McDonnell Douglas F-4G Wild Weasel | National Museum of the United States Air ForcePublisher: National Museum of the United States Air Force | Note: Supports the F-4G Wild Weasel armament list that includes AGM-45 Shrike. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Skyhawk Ordnance | The Skyhawk AssociationPublisher: The Skyhawk Association | Note: Supports the Skyhawk ordnance page's Shrike carriage listings and the A-4 variant list configured for that weapon. | Accessed: 2026-07-03File:AGM-45 Shrike on cart.jpg | Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public-domain image provenance for the primary Shrike image, identified by Commons as a U.S. military/DVIC image. | Accessed: 2026-07-03File:F-105 Thunderchief carrying AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missile.jpg | Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public-domain image provenance for an operational carriage photo. | Accessed: 2026-07-03File:AGM-45 and AGM-78B on F-105G.jpg | Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Public-domain image provenance for a paired missile carriage photo on an F-105G. | Accessed: 2026-07-03