MISSILE FIRING

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30234, 12 September 1963, Page 14

MISSILE FIRING

Frigate Makes Test (N.Z Press Association) AUCKLAND. September 11. The frigate, H.M.N.Z.S. Taranaki fired its first Seacat missile in the Hauraki gulf beyond Rangitoto beacon this afternoon. After the firing R.N.Z.A.F Vampire jets made a series of sweeps over the ship to check the Seacat’s tracking system. A. small, highly-manoeuvr-able weapon, the Seacat is designed to be ready to repel attacks by hostile aircraft which may evade outer defensive fighters and longrange guided missiles. The missile fired today was a test one and was used to check the launching system. It carried a solid head and behaved as predicted. After the test, the Taranaki returned to Rangitoto beacon to send ashore technical staff associated with the test and then sailed for Sydney, Pearl Harbour and the Far East. The commodore, Auckland Commodore F. D. G', Challis’ R.N.. observed the firing of the missile and returned to Auckland in his barge.

After several years research grass has been acclimatised to permanently frozen soil on a Siberian state, farm. It was noticed that the heat from the root activity gradually thawed the permafrost, making toe immediate climate a little warmer.