STRIKE FROM THE SEA: The Development and Deployment of Strategic Cruise Missiles since 1934

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Covers the US Navy's Regulus missile program -- the world's first submarine weapon for attacking an enemy homeland with a nuclear warhead -- and the Soviet Navy's similar cruise missile. Prior to Regulus a few of the world's submarines had deck guns that were employed for assaulting coastal targets; indeed, the British built a class of 'submarine monitors' with large-caliber guns for attacking coastal targets.

The U.S. Navy's rapid and successful development of the Polaris Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) and budgetary constraints caused the cancellation of advanced submarine-launched cruise missiles -- the Regulus II as well as the follow-on Rigel and Triton. Submarines armed with the Regulus I missile continued on patrols in the North Pacific until mid-1964, when they were replaced on the 'deterrent' role by Polaris missile submarines. The Soviet Navy continued the development and deployment of anti-ship cruise missiles, which retained some land-attack capabilities