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September 18, 2005
TOMORROW at 10 a.m., at Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyo., the last MX missile will be "deactivated," and a turbulent chapter of history will come to an end.
The MX is hardly remembered now; its phase-out began without fanfare four years ago. But in the late 1970's and the '80s - at the height of the United States-Soviet nuclear arms race, amid tensions over the invasion of Afghanistan and the collapse of détente - the MX was the centerpiece of the American military buildup, the object of longer and fiercer debates than any other weapon in modern times.
"It was a defining symbol of an era," says John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org. "For its supporters, it was 'peace through strength.' For its opponents, it was 'the mad momentum of the arms race.' Both sides cared about it so much. Now it's going out, and nobody even notices."
Originally posted by FredT
Too bad the conventional ICBM plan was scrapped. You could put a huge warhead on the sucker and have it delivered anywhere in the world with a decent CEP in 30 minutes!
Originally posted by ShadowXIX
Submarine based missiles are the way to go. Each nuclear missile sub has 24 Trident nuclear ballistic missiles with MIRV warheads. So they could have something like 280 nuclear warheads.
They can be on the move all the time and very well hidden. Good luck to anyone trying to track a US nuclear submarine.
Originally posted by orangetom1999
Submarine launched ICBMs carry multiple independent targeted warheads. I am not sure of the exact number per missle but it is not one.
Each warhead can be independently targeted.
Thanks,
Orangetom
Originally posted by rogue1
Originally posted by ShadowXIX
Submarine based missiles are the way to go. Each nuclear missile sub has 24 Trident nuclear ballistic missiles with MIRV warheads. So they could have something like 280 nuclear warheads.
Aren't the Trident II D-5 missiles limited to just one warhead today ? Landbased ICBM's are capable of carrying their full load of MIRV's to their maxiumum range. Whereas SLBM's have a greatly dimished range for every warhead added.
They can be on the move all the time and very well hidden. Good luck to anyone trying to track a US nuclear submarine.
Hmm well according to other threads US SSBN's have been tracked before by the Russians.
Originally posted by NWguy83
No, it's Minuteman IIIs that now carry just 1 warhead. Trident C4 and D5 now carry just 3 warheads.
Originally posted by NWguy83
No, it's Minuteman IIIs that now carry just 1 warhead. Trident C4 and D5 now carry just 3 warheads.
And that claim Russians have tracked U.S SSBNs is more of a rumor than a believable fact.
Originally posted by rogue1
Well you could also argue that, " they haven't been tracked " is a rumour put out by the US Navy to make themsleves look more superior for pride. One things for sure, it wouldn't be in the Russian's best interests to advertise the fact that they can track OHIO SSBN's,
Originally posted by NWguy83
Well before you posted it, I have never in my several years of roaming military forums and watching The History Channel and The Military Channel heard that the Russians could track Ohios. I even remember Tom Clancy saying that Ohios have never been tracked.
Originally posted by ShadowXIXGood luck to anyone trying to track a US nuclear submarine.
Originally posted by ShadowXIX
Each Trident- carries between 6- 8 W76 warheads 100KT Its technically capable of carrying up to twelve warheads
The Hiroshima atomic bomb was about 14KT
[edit on 21-9-2005 by ShadowXIX]