Pershing II

Pershing II is a ballistic missile developed by Martin Marietta and operated by the United States Army during the Cold War. The missile was designed to be highly accurate and have a long range, making it a key component of NATO's nuclear deterrent against the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact allies, including East Germany and Poland. The development of the Pershing II was influenced by the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT) between the United States and the Soviet Union, and the missile was deployed in West Germany under the supervision of Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Bernard Rogers. The Pershing II played a significant role in the Euromissile crisis, which involved France, United Kingdom, and other European Union countries.

Introduction

The Pershing II was a significant improvement over its predecessor, the Pershing I, with a longer range and greater accuracy, thanks to advances in guidance system technology developed by Hughes Aircraft and Rockwell International. The missile was designed to be launched from a Mobile Launcher developed by Chrysler, which allowed it to be easily transported and deployed in the field, with support from United States Air Force units such as the 86th Airlift Wing. The Pershing II was also equipped with a W85 warhead developed by Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, which was designed to be highly effective against hardened targets such as Soviet Union's command centers in Moscow and Kremlin. The development of the Pershing II was influenced by the NATO's Flexible Response strategy, which was developed by Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) under the leadership of General Alexander Haig and General Joseph Ralston.

Development

The development of the Pershing II began in the late 1970s, with the goal of creating a missile that could counter the Soviet Union's SS-20 Saber missile, which was deployed in East Europe and posed a significant threat to NATO's European Command (EUCOM) and United States European Command (USEUCOM). The development of the Pershing II involved a number of United States Department of Defense (DoD) agencies, including the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and the United States Army Missile Command (MICOM), as well as contractors such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman. The Pershing II was also influenced by the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) developed by President Ronald Reagan and Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, which aimed to develop a missile defense system to protect the United States and its allies from ballistic missile attacks.

Design and Capabilities

The Pershing II had a number of advanced design features, including a solid-fuel rocket motor developed by Aerojet and Hercules Inc., which provided a high level of accuracy and reliability, and a terrain-following radar system developed by Texas Instruments and Westinghouse Electric Corporation, which allowed the missile to fly at low altitudes and avoid air defense systems such as the Soviet Union's S-300P and S-200 Angara. The missile also had a highly effective warhead developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories, which was designed to be highly effective against hardened targets such as bunkers and command centers in Kremlin and Moscow. The Pershing II was deployed in West Germany and was operated by the United States Army's 56th Field Artillery Command (56th FA Com) under the command of General John Galvin and General Frederick Kroesen.

Operational History

The Pershing II was deployed in West Germany in 1983, with the first missiles arriving at the United States Army's Schwäbisch Gmünd base, which was under the command of United States European Command (USEUCOM) and Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) General Bernard Rogers. The deployment of the Pershing II was met with significant opposition from peace movement groups, including the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and the Green Party, which were led by E.P. Thompson and Petra Kelly. The Pershing II played a significant role in the Cold War, serving as a deterrent to Soviet Union aggression in Europe and supporting NATO's Flexible Response strategy, which was developed by Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) under the leadership of General Alexander Haig and General Joseph Ralston. The Pershing II was also supported by United States Air Force units such as the 86th Airlift Wing and United States Navy units such as the Sixth Fleet.

Controversy and Disarmament

The Pershing II was the subject of significant controversy, with many peace movement groups opposing its deployment in Europe, including the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) and the Green Party, which were led by E.P. Thompson and Petra Kelly. The controversy surrounding the Pershing II was fueled by concerns about the nuclear arms race and the potential for nuclear war in Europe, which was a major concern for European Union countries such as France, United Kingdom, and Germany. The Pershing II was eventually withdrawn from service in 1991, as part of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) signed by President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, which banned the deployment of intermediate-range missiles in Europe and marked a significant milestone in the Cold War and the nuclear disarmament process, with support from United Nations and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The withdrawal of the Pershing II was also influenced by the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) and the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE), which were negotiated by United States Department of State and United States Department of Defense (DoD) under the leadership of Secretary of State George Shultz and Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger. Category:Ballistic missiles