Nike-Hercules Rocket The Nike-Hercules is another weapon of the United States Army. The main function of this surface-to-air missile is to intercept attacking enemy bombers, but the Army has demonstrated that it can also be used to knock down incoming air-to-ground missiles. This air-defense rocket is 39 feet long and has a diameter of a little over 21/2 feet. Its range is 80 miles, and its speed is approximately 2200 miles per hour. The two-stage Nike-Hercules can be equipped with either nuclear or high-explosive warheads. Many of our large metropolitan areas were ringed with Army Nike-Hercules installations to protect them from surprise attack by air.