The F3H Demon was a first-line, rocket-firing fleet-defense fighter for the U.S. Navy. It was the first aircraft designed for missile armament, making it the first operational fighter equipped with Sparrow III interceptor missiles. The F3H-2N combined interceptor radar with fighter speed and maneuverability. The Demon program spanned 10 years at McDonnell Aircraft Corp., from 1949 to 1959, and resulted in 522 aircraft for the U.S. Navy.