How many warheads does a Minuteman 3 carry?
How many warheads does a Minuteman 3 carry?
How many warheads does a Minuteman 3 carry?
The Minuteman III Missile The Minuteman III is the most current version of the Minuteman missile. It was first deployed in 1970 and was the first ICBM to hold MIRVs (Multiple Independent Reentry Vehicles). It is able to carry one, two or three warheads that can strike separate targets miles away from each other.
What is the yield of a Minuteman missile?
The Minuteman III missile has a maximum range of 13,000 km and is capable of carrying a payload of three reentry vehicles. The missile originally carried a 170 kT yield Mark 12 RV and, later, a 300 to 350 kT Mark 12A RV.
How many warheads are in ICBM?
It is possible for the missile to be equipped with a single 750 kg (1,650 lb) nuclear warhead or up to three MIRV warheads. It is believed to be based on the Shavit space launch vehicle and is estimated to have a range of 4,800 to 11,500 km (3,000 to 7,100 mi).
How fast is the Minuteman 3 missile?
Approximately 15,000 mph
General Characteristics
| Primary Function: | Intercontinental ballistic missile |
|---|---|
| Speed: | Approximately 15,000 mph (Mach 23 or 24,000 kph) at burnout |
| Range: | 6,000-plus miles (5,218 nautical miles) |
| Ceiling: | 700 miles (1,120 kilometers) |
| Payload: | Re-entry vehicle: General Electric MK 12 or MK 12A |
How much does a Minuteman III missile cost?
| LGM-30 Minuteman | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Boeing |
| Unit cost | $7,000,000 USD |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | About 65,000 lb (29,000 kg) (Minuteman-I) About 73,000 lb (33,000 kg) (Minuteman-II) 79,432 lb (36,030 kg) (Minuteman-III) |
What kind of warhead does the Minuteman 3 have?
The W78 thermonuclear warhead is the warhead used on most of the United States LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), along with the MK-12A reentry vehicle which carried the warhead.
What’s the yield of a Minuteman Nuclear Warhead?
The MGM-134A would have carried a single W87 Mod 1 warhead, carrying the higher yield warhead of 475 KT. The W87 Mod 0 with its 300 KT yield, was used with the Peacekeeper missile, and is currently deployed with the Minuteman III missiles at F.E. Warren AFB, Minot AFB, and Malmstrom AFB.
When was the Minuteman III ICBM Last updated?
The Minuteman III ICBM Last updated 7 October 1997 The Minuteman III was the world’s first MIRV’ed ICBM. A MIRV (multiple independent re-entry vehicles) permits each missile to carry multiple warheads, and direct each one at a separate target.
How big is the Minuteman 3 ballistic missile?
The missile is 18.2 m long with a diameter of 1.85 m and a launch weight of 34,467 kg. The Minuteman III entered development in 1966 as an improvement program for the earlier Minuteman missile systems. In 1968 it underwent its first successful flight test and became operational two years later.