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Fate of Italian Polaris Missiles
I found this interesting piece of information in the Wikipedia article
concerning the history of the Polaris SLBM: "During its reconstruction in 1957-1961, the Italian cruiser Giuseppe Garibaldi received four launchers for Polaris missiles. However, despite successful tests held in 1961-1962, most of the missiles were never shipped to Italy, for political reasons. The Italian Navy still holds a number of Polaris missiles in operational conditions, ready to use if necessary, stored in an airtight facility in the La Spezia Arsenal." A little googling seems to have verifyed that the work to modify the Garibaldi, and that at least test shot was made, but . . . Does anyone know if the Italian Navy still possesses these missiles? It would seem that they would be very difficult to near impossible to ever make ready for use given the 60’s-era vintage of their systems (where do you even find parts). I would also wonder about the potential for slumping in the 45year old solid rocket motors. Thanks and fair skies and following seas to you all . . . John |
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Fate of Italian Polaris Missiles
On Jun 27, 6:58*am, John wrote:
I found this interesting piece of information in the Wikipedia article concerning the history of the Polaris SLBM: *"During its reconstruction in 1957-1961, the Italian cruiser Giuseppe Garibaldi received four launchers for Polaris missiles. However, despite successful tests held in 1961-1962, most of the missiles were never shipped to Italy, for political reasons. The Italian Navy still holds a number of Polaris missiles in operational conditions, ready to use if necessary, stored in an airtight facility in the La Spezia Arsenal." A little googling seems to have verifyed that the work to modify the Garibaldi, and that at least test shot was made, but . . . Does anyone know if the Italian Navy still possesses these missiles? *It would seem that they would be very difficult to near impossible to ever make ready for use given the 60’s-era vintage of their systems (where do you even find parts). *I would also wonder about the potential for slumping in the 45year old solid rocket motors. Thanks and fair skies and following seas to you all . . . John As far as I know the Italian Navy never received any Polaris. However, a missile was developed locally for deployment on submarines as well as the Garibaldi, before being abandoned. This was the still largely classified Alfa missile http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/alfa.htm |
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Fate of Italian Polaris Missiles
"Polaris missiles were supplied by the United States and were flight
tested from the Garibaldi during the mid-1960's." At that point in time, CGN Long Beach wasn't to receive them. |
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Fate of Italian Polaris Missiles
John wrote: A little googling seems to have verifyed that the work to modify the Garibaldi, and that at least test shot was made, but . . . Does anyone know if the Italian Navy still possesses these missiles? It would seem that they would be very difficult to near impossible to ever make ready for use given the 60’s-era vintage of their systems (where do you even find parts). I would also wonder about the potential for slumping in the 45year old solid rocket motors. Since Garibaldi has been decommissioned in 1971 and scrapped in 1972, this would leave any missiles without a launch platform: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian...issile_cruiser According to that Wikipedia article, no Polaris missiles were ever delivered to Italy, and since Italy signed the NNPT treaty, they are out of the nuclear missile business. Although somewhat difficult to understand, there's a discussion of the topic he http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/foru...p?topic=2808.0 It sounds like Italy was getting ready to nuke Yugoslavia if Tito tried anything funny. That Yugoslavia, Romania, and Switzerland had atomic weapon programs was news to me: http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/alfa.htm Pat |
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Fate of Italian Polaris Missiles
dott.Piergiorgio wrote: As far as I know the Italian Navy never received any Polaris. However, a missile was developed locally for deployment on submarines as well as the Garibaldi, before being abandoned. This was the still largely classified Alfa missile http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/alfa.htm I'm also Italian and can confirm this, but knowing well the Italian Navy's mindset I cannot be 100% sure that there's absolutely zero IRBM *vectors* (aside that a conventional-tipped IRBM will be a rather big white elephant....) If Italy had decided to deploy Polaris (or been allowed to) would the warheads have been under "dual-key" US/Italian control like with the Thors in Britain, and the Jupiters in Turkey? Or was the intention to go the French route, and develop a missile system that was entirely under Italian control? Pat |
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Fate of Italian Polaris Missiles
Pat Flannery wrote:
It sounds like Italy was getting ready to nuke Yugoslavia if Tito tried anything funny. That Yugoslavia, Romania, and Switzerland had atomic weapon programs was news to me: http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/alfa.htm at that time everyone and his uncle in europe had a nuclear weapons programm .. add sweden and germany to your little list .. servus markus Pat |
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Fate of Italian Polaris Missiles
I found this interesting piece of information in the Wikipedia article
concerning the history of the Polaris SLBM: "During its reconstruction in 1957-1961, the Italian cruiser Giuseppe Garibaldi received four launchers for Polaris missiles. However, despite successful tests held in 1961-1962, most of the missiles were never shipped to Italy, for political reasons. The Italian Navy still holds a number of Polaris missiles in operational conditions, ready to use if necessary, stored in an airtight facility in the La Spezia Arsenal." A little googling seems to have verifyed that the work to modify the Garibaldi, and that at least test shot was made, but . . . Does anyone know if the Italian Navy still possesses these missiles? It would seem that they would be very difficult to near impossible to ever make ready for use given the 60’s-era vintage of their systems (where do you even find parts). I would also wonder about the potential for slumping in the 45year old solid rocket motors. Thanks and fair skies and following seas to you all . . . John According to this site of the Italian Navy, the test vehicles were mockups http://www.marina.difesa.it/storia/a...4/navi0432.asp |
#9
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Fate of Italian Polaris Missiles
Fred J. McCall ha scritto:
wrote: : :As far as I know the Italian Navy never received any Polaris. However, :a missile was developed locally for deployment on submarines as well :as the Garibaldi, before being abandoned. This was the still largely :classified Alfa missile http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/alfa.htm : Uh, you should have read your own cite a bit more carefully: "Polaris missiles were supplied by the United States and were flight tested from the Garibaldi during the mid-1960's." I must precise that the Garibaldi here is the earlier CL/CLG (CLGB ?) and not the current CVL/CVE. Best regards from Italy, Dott. Piergiorgio. |
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Fate of Italian Polaris Missiles
Pat Flannery ha scritto:
Since Garibaldi has been decommissioned in 1971 and scrapped in 1972, this would leave any missiles without a launch platform: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian...issile_cruiser Here (s.m.n.) we discussed about the feasibility of use by terrorists of scud-like missiles aboard tramp freighters, and we concluded that is rather improbable; but a major Navy with a sizeable and modern merchant marine is a different sort of animal (aside the rather lacking here of political will & capacity od taking serious decisions (euphemism) ) It sounds like Italy was getting ready to nuke Yugoslavia if Tito tried anything funny. The basic fact is that if Tito tried something, will be considered NOT funny here. Still today we have serious issues with the successor states, mainly kroatia. That Yugoslavia, Romania, and Switzerland had atomic weapon programs was news to me: http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/alfa.htm eh.... that was once a nuclear race between us and *switzerland* was really a surprise to me, when I read for the first time this very webpage a pair of years ago, i was so --- O_O , notwhistanding that I already known well about the Polaris and Garibaldi.... Best regards from Italy, Dott. Piergiorgio. |
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