Pershing II

Pershing II
missile launching
Pershing II test flight, February 1983
TypeMedium-range ballistic missile
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service1983–1991
Used byUnited States Army
Production history
DesignerMartin Marietta
Designed1973–1981
ManufacturerMartin Marietta
Produced1981–1989
No. built276 missiles, 108 launchers
VariantsPershing 1b (not deployed)
Specifications
Mass16,451 pounds (7,462 kg)[1]
Length34.8 feet (10.6 m)
DiameterMax 40 inches (1 m)
Blast yield

EngineHercules, two-stage, solid propellant
Operational
range
1,500 miles (2,414 km)[2]
Maximum speed Mach 8-10
Guidance
system
Steering
system
Vector control system (steerable nozzle), air fins
Accuracy100 feet (30 m) circular error probable (restrictions apply)
Launch
platform
M1003 erector launcher
Transport
  • M1001 MAN tractor in Germany
  • M983 HEMTT in the U.S.

The Pershing II Weapon System[a] was a solid-fueled two-stage medium-range ballistic missile designed and built by Martin Marietta to replace the Pershing 1a Field Artillery Missile System as the United States Army's primary nuclear-capable theater-level weapon. The U.S. Army replaced the Pershing 1a with the Pershing II Weapon System in 1983, while the German Air Force retained Pershing 1a until all Pershings were eliminated in 1991. The U.S. Army Missile Command (MICOM) managed the development and improvements, while the Field Artillery Branch deployed the systems and developed tactical doctrine.

  1. ^ a b Pershing II Weapon System TM 9-1425-386-10-1 (PDF). United States Army. June 1986. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  2. ^ "The Pershing Missile: Peace Through Strength". Lockheed Martin. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2024.


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