How often does the US test ICBMs?

[StageLeft]

Link

The Air Force has successfully launched an unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile from the California coast to an area in the Pacific Ocean some 4,200 miles away.

I presume they indicate to various other countries their intent beforehand. Is this a regular occurrence?

 

[Genx87]

When i was doing a contract in Las Vegas in the fall of 2002 they tested one of these. We could see it in Vegas as it shot out over the Pacific.

 

[ProfJohn]

It's a message to North Korea!!!! That bastard Obama is trying to start a war.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Once a year or so.

 

[rudder]

We have plenty so they fire off on occasionally to make sure they still work.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
It's a message to North Korea!!!! That bastard Obama is trying to start a war.

It could very well be a message to North Korea, but any message would be intended to avoid a war.

 

[dphantom]

Originally posted by: mugs

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
It's a message to North Korea!!!! That bastard Obama is trying to start a war.

It could very well be a message to North Korea, but any message would be intended to avoid a war.

No it is not. These tests are scheduled months if not a year or more in advance. They occur once or twice a year and are a normal verification of the weapon system. There is no political message here.

 

[StageLeft]

So if one fails and the subsequent one fails, will Russia seize the opportunity to launch its missiles?

 

[dphantom]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
So if one fails and the subsequent one fails, will Russia seize the opportunity to launch its missiles?

yes, except the Russian ones have a terrible tendency to be broken most of the time.

 

[cubeless]

they were reaching their 'freshness date'... much more fun to launch them then to disassemble them... kind of like all the boat flares that get used as fireworks every year...

 

[dphantom]

Originally posted by: cubeless
they were reaching their 'freshness date'... much more fun to launch them then to disassemble them... kind of like all the boat flares that get used as fireworks every year...

Sitting out on a hill at Vandenberg AFB at night waiting for a launch is pretty cool. When one of these launches, it is an awesome site. Not comparable to a shuttle launch, but neat all the same.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: dphantom

Originally posted by: cubeless
they were reaching their 'freshness date'... much more fun to launch them then to disassemble them... kind of like all the boat flares that get used as fireworks every year...

Sitting out on a hill at Vandenberg AFB at night waiting for a launch is pretty cool. When one of these launches, it is an awesome site. Not comparable to a shuttle launch, but neat all the same.

I bet it is. I'd love to see one. Gonna check on youtube.

hereis one

 

[SecPro]

Originally posted by: dphantom

Originally posted by: cubeless
they were reaching their 'freshness date'... much more fun to launch them then to disassemble them... kind of like all the boat flares that get used as fireworks every year...

Sitting out on a hill at Vandenberg AFB at night waiting for a launch is pretty cool. When one of these launches, it is an awesome site. Not comparable to a shuttle launch, but neat all the same.

Never done that but I have been onboard SSBN's during D5 missile launches. And onboard the surface support ship taking pictures.

We launch missiles from one or two SSBN's at least once a year.

 

[Pneumothorax]

I wish they kept the Peacekeeper missiles. MIRV's FTW!

 

[dphantom]

Originally posted by: Pneumothorax
I wish they kept the Peacekeeper missiles. MIRV's FTW!

MMIII's can be equipped with up to 3 RVs.

But MX was cool.

Here is my first baby before I graduated to MMII's.

Link

 

[dphantom]

Originally posted by: SecPro

Originally posted by: dphantom

Originally posted by: cubeless
they were reaching their 'freshness date'... much more fun to launch them then to disassemble them... kind of like all the boat flares that get used as fireworks every year...

Sitting out on a hill at Vandenberg AFB at night waiting for a launch is pretty cool. When one of these launches, it is an awesome site. Not comparable to a shuttle launch, but neat all the same.

Never done that but I have been onboard SSBN's during D5 missile launches. And onboard the surface support ship taking pictures.

We launch missiles from one or two SSBN's at least once a year.

Does the SSBN move much when a D5 is ejected? That is, can you feel the movement or is the sub pretty stable?

 

[SecPro]

Originally posted by: dphantom

Originally posted by: SecPro

Originally posted by: dphantom

Originally posted by: cubeless
they were reaching their 'freshness date'... much more fun to launch them then to disassemble them... kind of like all the boat flares that get used as fireworks every year...

Sitting out on a hill at Vandenberg AFB at night waiting for a launch is pretty cool. When one of these launches, it is an awesome site. Not comparable to a shuttle launch, but neat all the same.

Never done that but I have been onboard SSBN's during D5 missile launches. And onboard the surface support ship taking pictures.

We launch missiles from one or two SSBN's at least once a year.

Does the SSBN move much when a D5 is ejected? That is, can you feel the movement or is the sub pretty stable?

Boat is pretty stable.

 

[piasabird]

Last test fire I can remember was the Ramjet tests and the MOAB tests. I wonder if Hawaii was trying to intercept the missle?

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: dphantom

Originally posted by: SecPro

Originally posted by: dphantom

Originally posted by: cubeless
they were reaching their 'freshness date'... much more fun to launch them then to disassemble them... kind of like all the boat flares that get used as fireworks every year...

Sitting out on a hill at Vandenberg AFB at night waiting for a launch is pretty cool. When one of these launches, it is an awesome site. Not comparable to a shuttle launch, but neat all the same.

Never done that but I have been onboard SSBN's during D5 missile launches. And onboard the surface support ship taking pictures.

We launch missiles from one or two SSBN's at least once a year.

Does the SSBN move much when a D5 is ejected? That is, can you feel the movement or is the sub pretty stable?

I do not know on the D5 but the Trident C4s (80's) their was a noticable change to when the launch happened and immediately afterwards to re-trim the boat.

 

[SecPro]

Originally posted by: Common Courtesy

Originally posted by: dphantom

Originally posted by: SecPro

Originally posted by: dphantom

Originally posted by: cubeless
they were reaching their 'freshness date'... much more fun to launch them then to disassemble them... kind of like all the boat flares that get used as fireworks every year...

Sitting out on a hill at Vandenberg AFB at night waiting for a launch is pretty cool. When one of these launches, it is an awesome site. Not comparable to a shuttle launch, but neat all the same.

Never done that but I have been onboard SSBN's during D5 missile launches. And onboard the surface support ship taking pictures.

We launch missiles from one or two SSBN's at least once a year.

Does the SSBN move much when a D5 is ejected? That is, can you feel the movement or is the sub pretty stable?

I do not know on the D5 but the Trident C4s (80's) their was a noticable change to when the launch happened and immediately afterwards to re-trim the boat.

Served on C4 boat (Florida) but never launched a missile. There was significant upgrade to the missile compensation and hovering system on the D5 boats. Also, because of the difference in weights of the missile, on D5 boats you brought ballast on and on C4 boats you got rid of it.


<-------- 10 patrols standing DOOW on 726 class.

 

[dphantom]

Originally posted by: SecPro

Served on C4 boat (Florida) but never launched a missile. There was significant upgrade to the missile compensation and hovering system on the D5 boats. Also, because of the difference in weights of the missile, on D5 boats you brought ballast on and on C4 boats you got rid of it.


<-------- 10 patrols standing DOOW on 726 class.

:thumbsup:

400 alerts underground Titan II/MMII.

 

[JSt0rm]

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
It's a message to North Korea!!!! That bastard Obama is trying to start a war.

if he wanted to start a war he would falsify intelligence data like your daddy.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Originally posted by: JSt0rm01

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
It's a message to North Korea!!!! That bastard Obama is trying to start a war.

if he wanted to start a war he would falsify intelligence data like your daddy.

Just like they quible when they say he's doing a bad job, just give him time to settle in.