A report on Fireflash, Seaslug (missile) and Rainbow Code

In January 1945 the Air Ministry issued Operational Requirement OR.1056, given the Ministry of Supply rainbow code "Red Hawk", for an air-to-air missile.

In the immediately following period, a rationalized development program was laid out that called for the development of a surface-to-air missile (SAM) for the Royal Navy that became Seaslug, a similar SAM design for the British Army and Royal Air Force known by the code name "Red Heathen", the Blue Boar anti-shipping bomb, and ongoing development of Red Hawk.

Tizard called a meeting of the Defence Research Policy Committee (DRPC) and started a process of pushing through four key missile programs that were intended to enter service in 1957, Seaslug, a corresponding Army/Air Force missile known as Red Heathen, the Blue Boar television guided glide bomb, and the Red Hawk air-to-air missile.

Blue Shield – see Armstrong Whitworth Sea Slug

Blue Sky – see Fairey Fireflash

The Seaslug Mark 2 was based on the aborted Blue Slug programme to develop an anti-ship missile using the Seaslug missile and guidance system.