The "Typhon Combat System" was an integrated weapons system being developed by the United States Navy. The system was being developed to replace the previous Talos, Terrier, and Tartar missile systems in service in the early 1960s. The earlier systems were determined to be vulnerable to large scale saturation missile attacks. At the center of the system was a multifunction radar called AN/SPG-59. The AN/SPG-59 would provide search, tracking, and guidance functions to the new missiles being developed, the Terrier sized RIM-50 Typhon extended range, and the Tartar sized RIM-55 Typhon Medium range. The Typhon missiles would have inertial guidance and would, in time, share the AN/SPG-59 radar's terminal illumination capabilities.
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Project cancellation and restructuring
The program was canceled in 1963 when it was overwhelmed by technical problems and well over budget. The project was restructured into the Advanced Surface Missile System, which was renamed to Aegis Combat System in 1969.
Cultural Reference
The system is named for the mythological personality Typhon from Greek myths and not the tropical storm typhoon.