Phobos Missile
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| Phobos | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | ICBM |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1982 - Present |
| Used by | Belfras |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Royal Institute of Nuclear Research |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 104,800 kg (231,000 lb) |
| Length | 32.58 m (106.9 ft) (Total length) |
| Diameter | 3.15 m (10.3 ft) (Total diameter) |
| Blast yield | Warhead dependent |
| Engine | First Stage: 4× Majestic MRM-051 engines |
Operational range | >15,000 km (9,300 mi). Exact range classified. |
| Speed | Mach 22+ |
Guidance system | Inertial, GPS & SATLINK |
The Phobos missile is a family of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and space launch vehicles designed by the Royal Institute of Nuclear Research in the 1980s for service with both Strategic Command and the Belfrasian Space Agency.
Designed with the intention to be able to carry a multitude of different warheads, the third stage is easily removed for a larger or smaller fairing as appropriate. The first Phobos missiles produced were known to have carried three to four warheads with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicle (MIRV) capability which has been improved upon several times within it's life. Today, the more commonly utilized warhead package calls for ten thermo-nuclear warheads with between thirty-five and forty penetration aids, although the maximum capability was stated in 2014 to be fifteen warheads and fifty penetration aids along with a post-boost countermeasure suite.
The electronics and system of operations of the weapon can be altered prior to launch directly at the weapon, allowing it to be deployed for a series of purposes. A 1995 release indicated that some missiles were outfitted with a solitary high-yield warhead with the intention of an exo-atmospheric detonation for an electromagnetic pulse to disable electronic systems around an area ahead of a ground strike.
The missile has found civilian uses as a satellite launch vehicle with the Belfrasian Space Agency, which assisted in the initial design. In 2007 the BSA utilized a refitted missile to deploy a sealed container with a multitude of goods that was received by astronauts in space, providing the organization with a new way to resupply missions.
In the early 2000s the Royal Institute developed a smaller, cheaper, and significantly lighter Deimos Missile that was slated to begin replacing the far more expensive ICBMs in the early 2010s. However, with tensions with the RCO rising as a result of conflicts in Bogoria and Ashizwe, the replacement program was placed on hold, with the Deimos serving alongside the larger Phobos.