In the late 1940s, in conjunction with Johns Hopkins University, McDonnell evolved the configuration of Talos, a supersonic, surface to air missile for the U.S. Navy. In March 1951 the company received a subcontract from Bendix Corporation, the prime contractor, to produce airframes and integrated ramjet engines. The first missile was delivered in June 1952. Talos became operational on U.S. Navy guided missile cruisers in February 1959 and withdrawn from service in 1980.