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The Germans developed the first ballistic missile, during the WW II. After the end of WW II, scientists began to develop ballistic missiles that could be launched from submarines. These submarines play strategic importance for the USA and the Russia and other nuclear powers, since the start of the Cold War, as they can hide from reconnaissance satellites and fire nuclear weapons with virtual impunity. This makes them immune to a first strike directed against nuclear forces, allowing each side to maintain the capability to launch a devastating retaliatory strike, even if all land-based missiles have been destroyed. UGM-133 Trident II, or Trident D5 is a submarine-launched ballistic missile, built by Lockheed Martin Space Systems in Sunnyvale, California, and deployed with the US and the Royal Navies. Trident II was firstly deployed in 1990, and still is in service. Each Trident II missile can carry up to twelve nuclear MIRV W88 warheads W76, but according to START I treaty, it carries only up to eight. The book should help shed some light on exciting environment of ballistic missiles and should be useful to anyone who is interested in the development of missiles to conventional.
About the author
Georgios Koutsoumpos, is a Second Lieutenant at the Corps of Engineer in the Greek Army, graduated 2nd at the Greek Military Academy and 1st at the Academy of Corps of Engineer, specialist to explosive devices, bridges and mines. Participated as a speaker to the 2nd AMIMS, conducted in the Greek Military Academy in April 2013.
