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Intercontinenal
Ballistic Missile
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World War II, the U.S. defensive policy of strategic deterrence
depended on a large fleet of long-range bombers that could deliver
accurate nuclear strategic attacks. This method of defence was too
slow to deploy in case of extreme emergency, a better, faster, and
less costly solution was needed.
Three
developments in the mid-1950s, however, led to the intercontinental
ballistic missile (ICBM): (1) development of the thermonuclear
bomb with a much greater destructive power than the original atomic
bomb; (2) the rapid refinement of inertial guidance systems for
ballistic missiles; and (3) the development of powerful booster
engines for multistage rockets, greatly increasing their size
and range. As a result, ballistic missiles became sufficiently
accurate and powerful to destroy targets 8000 km (5000 mi) away.
For more than thirty years, the ICBM has been the the symbol of
the United States' strategic nuclear arsenal.
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US / USSR Intercontinental
Ballistic Missiles
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Atlas D Missile Intercontinental Ballistic
Missile stands 75ft high and 10 ft in diameter. Atlas, the U.S.'s
first successful ICBM, was tested in 1959 and was followed one year
later by theTitan. Both were multistage liquid-fueled rockets using
extremely low temperature propellants that had to be added just
before launching.
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Titan II in silo Intercontinental Ballistic
Missile 103 ft high, 10 ft in diameter
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Minuteman I in silo 53 ft high, 5.5
ft in diameter.The U.S. Minuteman II ICBM (second generation) that
went into service in 1962 used solid fuels stored within the missile,
could be launched on short notice, and was sheltered in underground
concrete silos. It could carry three individual warheads.
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The U.S. Peacekeeper ICBM (formerly MX), the most modern ICBM used
by the United States during the 1990s. Its design combines advanced
technology in fuels, guidance, nozzle design, and motor construction
with protection against the hostile nuclear environment associated
with land-based systems. The Peacekeeper is much larger than Minuteman,
over 70 feet long and weighing 198,000 pounds.
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