This declassified film shows some of the steps used in preparation of the
Poseidon Missile Launcher
Tube aboard submarines.
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 that had their fiberglass liners and locating rings removed.
The project was given the title
Polaris B3 in November, but the missile was eventually named Poseidon C3 to emphasize 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.
Slightly longer and considerably wider and heavier than Polaris A3, Poseidon had the same 4,600 kilometres (2,
500 nmi) range, greater payload capacity, improved accuracy, and
MIRV capability. Poseidon could deliver up to fourteen
W68 thermonuclear warheads[1] contained in
Mark 3 reentry vehicles to multiple targets. The high-re-entry-speed design was intended to counter Sprint-type terminal
ABM defenses. 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, but could be used in a retaliatory strike against soft targets, or in a preemptive 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 neutralize airfields, SAM sites etc. in the opening phases of the Gulf War.
As with Polaris, starting a rocket motor when the missile was still in the submarine was considered very dangerous. Therefore, the missile was ejected from its launch tube using high pressure steam produced by a solid-fueled boiler. The main rocket motor ignited automatically when the missile had risen approximately
10 metres (33 ft) above the submarine.
The first test launch took place on 16 August
1968, the first successful at-sea launch was from a surface ship, the historic
USNS Observation Island (from July 1 to
December 16,
1969), earning the ship the
Meritorious Unit Commendation, and 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 31 Lafayette-,
James Madison-, and
Benjamin Franklin-class submarines.
Beginning in 1979, 12 Poseidon-equipped
SSBNs were refitted with Trident I. By
1992, the Soviet Union had collapsed, 12
Ohio-class submarines had been commissioned, and the
START I treaty had gone into effect, so the 31 older Poseidon- and
Trident I-armed SSBNs were disarmed, withdrawing Poseidon from service.
About 620 UGM-73A missiles were built between 1970 and 1978.
This film is part of the
Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the
USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD. For more information visit
http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
- published: 07 Aug 2014
- views: 2399