UGM-73 Poseidon

Go Back to Rocket Artillery

	Weapon: UGM-73 Poseidon Type: Rocket Artillery Country of Origin: United States Year Adopted: 1967 Overall Length (mm): 13000.0 Overall Length (in): 511.81 Weight (kg): 33500.00 Weight (pounds): 73854.86

The UGM-73 Poseidon was a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) developed by the United States during the 1960s as a successor to the Polaris missile. The Poseidon introduced several significant advancements, including the ability to carry multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), enabling a single missile to deliver multiple nuclear warheads to separate targets. Its design featured enhanced accuracy, a larger payload capacity, and improved range, making it a critical component of the U.S. nuclear deterrence strategy during the Cold War.

First deployed in 1971 aboard the U.S. Navy's ballistic missile submarines, the Poseidon missile was produced in significant numbers, with over 600 units manufactured. It was specifically designed to fit into the same launch tubes as its predecessor, allowing for an efficient upgrade to the Polaris-equipped submarines. The missile's operational range of approximately 4,600 kilometers and its capability to carry up to 14 warheads made it a formidable strategic weapon, increasing the effectiveness and flexibility of the submarine-based leg of the nuclear triad.

The Poseidon missile gained notoriety as a symbol of the United States' technological edge in the nuclear arms race and its commitment to maintaining second-strike capability. Its deployment reinforced the strategy of mutually assured destruction (MAD), contributing to the delicate balance of power between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Although it was eventually replaced by the more advanced Trident I missile in the 1980s, the Poseidon remains a significant milestone in the history of submarine-launched ballistic missile technology.