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In 1949, U.S. Air Force introduced the new "weapons
system" concept, in which consisting of the air-to-air guided missiles,
fire control system and the "1954 interceptor" capable of supersonic
flight. The project was designed to intercept the new Soviet
intercontinental bombers. In 1951, Air Force announced that the Convair's
YF-102 and the Republic's XF-103 were selected for the airframe part of
the project. A Model AP-57 mockup was inspected in 1953. Republic received
a contact for 3 prototypes. It was adopted a dual-cycle propulsion system,
a turbojet and a ramjet were installed tandem in the aft fuselage. Normal
cruise were powered by turbojet. At high speed, the thrust of the turbojet
was to be augmented by a ramjet. Due to a lot of development problems,
difficulties of titanium fabrication structure, engines delay and cost
overruns, Air Force deemed that the XF-103 was no longer a possible
operational "1954 interceptor". The program was finally cancelled in 1957.
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