ADM-20 Quail

ADM-20 Quail
ADM-20 Quail in flight
Type	Decoy cruise missile
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	September 13, 1960
Production history
Manufacturer	McDonnell Aircraft
Produced	November 1957
Specifications
Weight	1,198 lb (543 kg)
Length	12 ft 9 in (3.88 m)
Height	2 ft 1 in (0.66 m) (wings folded); 3 ft 3 in (1.02 m) (wings unfolded).
Warhead	None
Engine	General Electric J85-GE-7 turbojet; 2,450 lbf (10.9 kN) thrust.
Wingspan	2 ft 4 in (0.71 m) (wings folded); 5 ft 4 in (1.65 m) (wings unfolded).
Operational range	445 miles (716 km)
Flight ceiling	50,000 ft (15,200 m)
Flight altitude	50,000 ft (15,200 m).
Speed	0.9 Mach
Guidance system	Autopilot integrated with a Rate integrating gyroscope pre-programmed to turn the ADM-20.
Launch platform	B-52 Stratofortress.

The McDonnell ADM-20 Quail was a subsonic, jet powered, air-launched decoy cruise missile built by McDonnell Aircraft Corporation. The Quail was designed to be launched by the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber and its original United States Air Force designation was GAM-72 (GAM standing for Guided Aircraft Missile).

In 1955 the USAF started a major effort to construct decoy missiles. The goal of this effort was to improve the ability of strategic bombers to penetrate air-defense systems. The projects initiated under this effort included the MX-2223 which produced the XSM-73 Goose a long range ground-launched jet-powered, decoy cruise missile, MX-2224 which produced the XGAM-71 Buck Duck an air-launched rocket powered decoy missile to equip the Convair B-36.

The USAF was at the same time developing the XQ-4 as a supersonic target drone to support the Bomarc Missile Program. A requirement was established by the USAF Power Plant Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to support follow-on production of the XQ-4. This requirement called for a small jet engine in the 2,000 lbf (8.9 kN) thrust class with a high thrust-to-weight ratio of 10:1. On November 28, 1954 General Electric was awarded a USAF development contract to construct the XJ-85-GE-1. The USAF designated the XJ85 project MX-2273.