The North American Aviation AGM-28 Hound Dog was a supersonic, turbojet-propelled, nuclear armed, air-launched cruise missile developed in 1959 for the United States Air Force.

During the 1950s the US became aware of developments regarding the Soviet Union's surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), notably at large installations being constructed around Moscow.

At the time, the entire nuclear deterrent of the United States was based on crewed strategic bombers, both with the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy.

[1][2] GOR 148 called for a supersonic air-to-surface cruise missile with a weight of not more than 12,500 pounds (5,700 kg) (fully fueled and armed) to be carried in pairs by the B-52 Stratofortress.

[4] Both Chance Vought and North American Aviation submitted GAM-77 proposals to the USAF in July 1957, and both based on their earlier work on long-range ground-launched cruise missiles.

[5] On August 21, 1957, North American Aviation was awarded a contract to develop Weapon System 131B, which included the Hound Dog missile.

Today, more than 90 percent of our retaliatory capacity is made up of aircraft and missiles which have fixed, un-protectable bases whose location is known to the Russians.

We can only do this by providing SAC with the capability of maintaining a continuous airborne alert, and by pressing projects such as the Hound Dog air-ground missile, which will enable crewed bombers to penetrate Soviet defenses with their weapons".

A star tracker manufactured by Kollsman Instruments Co. and located in the B-52's pylon was used to correct inertial navigation system orientation errors with celestial observations while the Hound Dog was being carried by the B-52.

The Hound Dog had a circular error probable (CEP) of 2.2 miles (3.5 km), which was acceptable for a weapon equipped with a nuclear warhead.

In 1971, a Hound Dog missile was test-flown with a newly developed Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM) navigation system.

[4] Just two months later in February, SAC test-launched its first unarmed Hound Dog at Eglin Air Force Base.

In 1960, SAC developed procedures so that the B-52 could use the Hound Dog's J52 engine for additional thrust while the missile was located on the bomber's two pylons.

[10] One Hound Dog missile crashed near the town of Samson, Alabama, when it failed to self-destruct after a test launch from Eglin Air Force Base.

During this exercise, a Hound Dog test launch was conducted before an audience of national and international dignitaries headed by President John F. Kennedy and Vice-President Lyndon B.

The Hound Dogs would be retained pending the outcome of the Terrain Contour Matching (TERCOM) guidance system development program.

[6] After thirteen years of service with the Air Force, the last Hound Dog missile was removed from alert deployment on June 30, 1975.

The last Hound Dog was retired for scrapping on June 15, 1978, from the 42nd Bomb Wing at Loring Air Force Base, Maine.