AGM-136A Tacit Rainbow

AGM-136A Tacit Rainbow is an anti-radiation cruise missile whose distinctive function is to find and retain the locations of radar and radio emitters, then attack a selected target on command. Its ability to act on stored emitter locations, even after a target has stopped transmitting, makes it a weapon against systems that might otherwise disappear from detection before an attack can be directed at them.

Design and Operation

The missiles patrol large sections of sky while detecting and storing the locations of radar and radio emitters in the area. Rather than requiring a target to keep transmitting until the moment of attack, Tacit Rainbow can be directed against a selected emitter after the fact, including minutes after it has gone silent. The text thus presents it as both a weapon and a means of turning earlier emissions into actionable target information.

Tactical Employment

During the planned aircraft operation toward Yalta from the sea, the Pouncer group is assigned selective electronic-countermeasures jamming coverage for the other aircraft and launches AGM-136A Tacit Rainbow missiles. This work complements the Spoiler group's effort to draw enemy missile fire and interceptor aircraft: Pouncer combines protection for the approaching force with attacks on the emitters that support hostile defenses.

Combat Record and Significance

The missiles are described as having proved highly effective in the Persian Gulf War and in other operations at disabling hostile radar arrays and weapons-targeting systems. Their role in the Yalta operation extends that demonstrated anti-radiation function into a coordinated air package, where suppressing the systems that detect and direct enemy weapons helps clear an approach from the sea.