The White Sands Missile Range Museum’s Missile Park

XMIM-115 Roland

Roland was a French/German mobile short range air defense missile system. The US Army developed and evaluated an American version of the system, but did not adopt it for large-scale operational service.

Roland was a compact, mobile surface-to-air system, with two launchers and two radars on a single vehicle. The missile was fired from tube launchers and had a dual-thrust solid-fueled motor. Immediately after the missile left the tube, four cruciform wings and small canards were extended. The missile was steered in flight by jet vanes. A line-of-sight radio command guidance system directed the missile to its target where the fragmented was detonated by a combined proximity/impact fuse. The Roland could intercept targets at extremely low to medium altitudes of 65 feet to 18,000 feet.

Development of Roland began in 1964 as a joint project between France and Germany. Roland eventually entered operational service with the French Army in 1977 and with the German Army in 1978. Roland was successful with other European and international customers.

The US Roland program in 1974, when the Army issued a request for proposals for a new all-weather short-range air defense system. In 1975, Hughes Aircraft Company was awarded a development contract for an American version of Roland. The first non-US Roland was fired at WSMR on 18 November 1975. Adapting the system to American standards took time, but eventually a complete US-built Roland was tested in February 1978.

However, in 1981 it was decided to terminate the US Roland program and to limit procurement to a single Army National Guard battalion. American production ended in 1985. Roland was never declared operational in the US and the National Guard battalion deactivated its Roland systems in September 1988.

At White Sands Missile Range, five Roland missiles were tested in 1975 by the Army.