The MIRV, introduced in 1970 and meaning Multiple Independent Reentry Vehicle, was a new kind of offensive missile invented by the United States. Comparable to a shotgun blast, as it split into several smaller warheads from one big one, it was virtually impossible to defend against with technology at the time. The MIRV itself was attachable to a regular ballistic missile on the front end or "bus." It was important in reinstating MAD, because with the defensive innovation of ABMs, or anti-ballistic missiles, there was a belief that whichever side had better ABMs could win the war by shooting down the other's nukes, but still sending their own. MIRVs, in effect, were the solution to ABMs, because they were impossible to stop. By breaking off into several different missiles, a single ABM could not shoot them all down, nor could several ABMs predict where they were going to go until it was too late. Today, only China, France, America, and Russia are confirmed to possess them.
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5 comments:
Although arm races are generally the sign of really high tensions, the technological feats that we get from them are still outstanding. I wonder how the arms race would've evolved if the Soviets and the US never entered escalation.
Good summary of how technology advanced in order to attempt to keep up with the arms race... its good to know that it never escalated to a nuclear war.
I'd agree with Franklin that the technological development resulting from the arms race is outstanding. Although I'd never want to see these weapons put to use, the scientists' creativity and innovation is definitely something to be admired.
MIRVs were a sign of a greatly increased tension in the Cold War. If they hadn't been developed, though, the idea of mutually assured destruction probably wouldn't have been as effective. So in the end, perhaps it was a good thing.
Although these weapons were very dangerous and represented dangerous developments in the Cold War, the concept was very revolutionary in terms of military advancements.
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