Originally Posted by
LowObservable
Also, as Simmons (p107 on) notes, the best accuracy in a low-level blind delivery was several hundred yards - so the concept depended on a sizable arsenal of kiloton bombs, which nobody was signing up for in 1964-65.
Actually they were. The WE177 was designed for the TSR2 amongst others with a maximum release speed of 1.05Mn. Given the yield of 450Kt even several hundred yards on an airfield type target was going to do considerable damage.
Target aiming was indeed truly blind unlike the V-bomber radars. The TSR would have employed SLAR and high accuracy surveyed fix points. This meant the aircraft would have had to enter designated fix boxes, the navigator could then compare the DR marker's designation of the fix point on the SLAR and apply the appropriate error correction. The fix would be late and tactical manoeuvre impossible given the need for the fix boxes.
You only have to look at a Soviet airfield to realise that you would need 2 or 3 precisely aimed nukes to really do the bizz. Given the accuracy the Vulcans were targeted on the target centre rather than any fancy aiming.