MGM-31 Pershing II missile

Pershing was a family of solid-fueled two-stage medium-range ballistic missiles designed and built by Martin Marietta to replace the Redstone missile as the United States Army's primary theater-level weapon. The Pershing systems lasted over 30 years from the first test version in 1960 through final elimination in 1991. It was named for General John J. Pershing. The systems were managed by the US Army Missile Command (MICOM) and deployed by the United States Army Field Artillery Corps.

The 400 kT warhead was greatly over-powered for the QRA mission, and a smaller warhead required greater accuracy. The contract went to Martin Marietta in 1975 and the first development launches began in 1977. Pershing II was to use the new W85 warhead with a 5-50 kT variable yield or an earth-penetrator W86 warhead. The warhead was to be packaged in a maneuverable reentry vehicle (MARV) with active radar guidance and would be launched with the Pershing I rocket engines. In 1975, the US turned down a request from Israel to purchase the new Pershing II.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• MGM-31
• Pershing
• II
• missile
• US
• Army
• Intermediate
• Nuclear
• Forces
• Treaty
• ballistic
• tactical
• nuclear
• weapons
• Cold
• War
• missiles

[MayrN]

Mission accomplished!

[Caddl123]

Hi everybody.

I was sitting in school in Weinsberg 3km away,when 1985 the Pershing2 in the Waldheide near Heilbronn was exploding.The sirens were all going off with ABC-Alert-Panic in the whole School-Center (1400 Pupils!)We had feeled the exposion in form of a miniearthquake...

Thank God i have survived-4 GIs were killed and 25 injured..But for all of our fire brigades,the THW and Red cross,it was very heavy to stand out.

And thank God too,we musnt bring the Pershings into action!

[dalehandy1500]

@pershingtrooper send me an emai 21g heilbronn same years at 56th

[BishopAdamair]

@logibear64 You obviously have no clue about what you speak as you aren't even close on the numbers of warheads. Bad on facts and history is a dangerous combination.

[PershingTrooper]

@logibear64 You have no clue. With the accuracy and payload available by this system, take it from me, it was a game-changer, at the time. Believe me, I served in the 56th Field Artillery Brigade, 1984-87.

[logibear64]

@sferrin2 Disagree. It was a joke played on all of us. Seeing how there are tens of thousands of nukes in US and Russia arsenals today getting rid of these missiles was like giving up jeeps. Pershing and the respective Russian counter parts accomplished nothing except finance the military industrial complexes of both countries. The world was not safer with Pershing by, if you'll pardon the expression, one atom.

[sferrin2]

@logibear64

Pershing II is the reason the INF Treaty happened. Hardly a "joke".

[logibear64]

When on maneuvers with the missiles we would point out to the anti-nuke protesters where the missiles were so we could get out of the field. Pershing was an expensive joke.

[jmorello123]

I would like to know: who keeps the treaties in times of war?

[Lachausis]

The good thing about the bad USSR was that somehow they "respected" some treaties, although communists were never to be trusted. However it's always pointless to sign any kind of treaties with muslims.

[bestamerica]

datzfast,

'

ussr russia is a peace country,,,

nah nah, not true,,,

uss russia is always playing war game with america,,,

america is still the best country in the whole world than ussr russia

[datzfast]

@best americaNo, Russia is a peaceful country they even left ossetia today its all about making money not war. people are consumers of goods. ita all a game. War is obsolete. you might think the USA is fighting wars, lol the USA is just playing war. USA doesnt even want to win the wars.