Everything about Poseidon Missile totally explained
The
Poseidon missile was the second
US Navy ballistic missile system, powered by a two-stage solid fuel rocket. It succeeded the
Polaris missile beginning in
1972, bringing major advances in warheads and accuracy. It was followed by
Trident I in
1979, and
Trident II in
1990.
A development study for a longer range version of the Polaris missile achieved by enlarging it to the maximum possible size allowed by existing launch tubes started in 1963. Tests had already shown that Polaris missiles could be operated without problems in launch tubes which had their
fibreglass liners and locating rings removed.
The project was given the title Polaris B3 in November, but the missile was eventually named Poseidon C3 to emphasis the technical advances over its predecessor. The C3 was the only version of the missile produced, and it was also given the designation UGM-73A.
Poseidon, although slightly longer and considerably wider and heavier than Polaris A3, had the same 4600 km (2500 nautical mile) range, although with increased payload weight. It also had improved accuracy and up to fourteen
W68 thermonuclear warheads
(External Link
) contained in Mk.3 reentry vehicles that were of a new
MIRVed high-re-entry-speed design intended to counter sprint-type terminal
ABM defences. See
Atmospheric re-entry for blunt body theory.
The low-yield warheads were apparently selected to make the weapon unsuitable as a first-strike weapon against hardened targets in the Soviet Union,
(External Link) but could be used in a retaliatory strike against soft targets, or in a pre-emptive strike against unhardened surface targets such as airfields, SAM sites, radar sites and other similar targets, opening a pathway for
heavy bombers. In later years this targeting technique has been demonstrated by the use of
cruise missiles to neutralise airfields, SAM sites etc in the opening phases of the
Gulf War. Similarly a new more accurate celestial/intertial guidance system wasn't developed because it was felt a highly accurate invulnerable weapon might destabilize the nuclear deterrence balance with the
Soviet Union.
As with Polaris, starting a rocket motor when the missile was still in the submarine was considered very dangerous. The missile was ejected from its launch tube using high pressure steam produced by a solid-fueled boiler.
The first test launch took place on
16 August,
1968 whilst the first test launch from a submarine took place on the
USS James Madison on
3 August 1970. The weapon officially entered service on
31 March 1971. It eventually equipped all 10
Lafayette-class submarines, the submarines' original Polaris outfit being replaced with Poseidon during refits.
About 620 UGM-73A missiles were built between 1970 and 1978.
Operators
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