| LGM-118 Peacekeeper |
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Country: USA
Type: ICBM
Introduction: 1986 |
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The LGM-118A Peacekeeper, initially known as the MX missile (for Missile-eXperimental), was a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) deployed by the United States starting in 1986. A total of 50 missiles were deployed. Under the START II treaty, which never entered into force, the missiles were to be removed from the American nuclear arsenal in 2005. In spite of the demise of START II, the last of the LGM-118A Peacekeeper ICBMs were decommissioned on September 19, 2005.
The development of the Peacekeeper began with the intent of its being a counterforce, hard-target weapon. It was to be aimed at hardened enemy missile silos with first-strike capability. This required high accuracy, survivability, range and a flexibility that was not available in the Minuteman III. Design work on the MX missile began in 1972. It was first test fired on June 17, 1983. Controversy regarding a survivable deployment mode persisted throughout the development phase and a satisfactory solution never emerged.
Peacekeeper missiles were equipped with multiple independently-targeted re-entry vehicles (MIRV); each Peacekeeper ICBM could carry up to 10 MK-21 re-entry vehicles (RV), each armed with a 300-kiloton W87 warhead.
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| General Information |
| Developed by |
USA |
| Deployed by |
USA |
| Development Year |
1979 |
| Deployment Year |
1986 |
| Platform |
in Minuteman silos |
| Number manufactured |
114 for deployment and testing |
| Number deployed |
50 |
| Contractor |
Lockheed Martin Corps., Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, CO |
| Dimensions and Performance |
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Length |
21.6m |
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Body Diameter |
2.34m |
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Launch Weight |
88,450kg |
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Range |
11,100km |
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Accuracy |
90m CEP |
| Components |
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Propulsion |
4-stage solid propellant (only 4th-stage: PBV, liquid) |
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Engine |
Provided by Thiokokl(1st-stage), Aerojet(2nd-stage), Herculed(3rd-stage) and Rockwell (4th-stage engine) |
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Payload |
10 Mk 21 RVs (MIRV configuration)(By General Electric and Textron) |
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Warhead |
10x300kT nuclear (W-87) (can carry 12 warheads, but limited to 10 by START-II Treaty |
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Guidance |
Inertial guidance with an Advanced Inertial Reference System (AIRS) |
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