Ballistic Missile Launches 2006

Evidently, a fair amount of research continues into rocket science. Last year eight countries test fired ballistic missiles. According to the article exerpt below, from a mailing by the Federation of American Scientists, these test firings were connected with nuclear weapons delivery development.

The FAS website is often quite interesting.

from FAS.org:

Nuclear Missile Testing Galore

North Korea may have gotten all the attention, but all the nuclear weapon states were busy flight-testing ballistic missiles for their nuclear weapons during 2006. According to a preliminary count, eight countries launched more than 26 ballistic missiles of 23 types in 24 different events.

Unlike the failed North Korean Taepo Dong 2 launch, most other ballistic missile tests were successful. Russia and India also experienced missile failures, but the United States demonstrated a very reliable capability including the 117th consecutive successful launch of the Trident II D5 sea-launched ballistic missile.

The ballistic missile flight tests involved weapons ranging from 10-warhead intercontinental ballistic missiles down to single-warhead short-range ballistic missiles. Most of the flight tests, however, involved long-range ballistic missiles and the United States, Russia and France also launched sea-launched ballistic missiles (see table below).

Ballistic Missile Tests 2006*
Date	Missile	Remarks
China
5 Sep	1 DF-31 ICBM	From Wuzhai, impact in Takla Makan Desert.
France
9 Nov	1 M51 SLBM	From Biscarosse (CELM facility), impact in South Atlantic.
India
13 Jun	1 Prithvi I SRBM	From Chandipur, impact in Indian Ocean.
9 Jul	1 Agni III IRBM	From Chandipur. Failed.
20 Nov	1 Prithvi I SRBM	From Chandipur, impact in Indian Ocean.
Iran**
23 May	1 Shahab 3D MRBM	From Emamshahr.
3 Nov	1 Shahab 3 MRBM, as well as "dozens" of Shahab 2, Scud B and other SRBMs	Part of the Great Prophet 2 exercise.
North Korea***
4 Jul	1 Taepo Dong 2 ICBM and 6 Scud C and Rodong SRBMs	From Musudan-ri near Kalmo. ICBM failed.
Pakistan
16 Nov	1 Ghauri MRBM	From Tilla?
29 Nov	1 Hatf-4 (Shaheen-I) SRBM	Part of Strategic Missile Group exercise.
9 Dec	1 Haft-3 (Ghaznavi) SRBM	Part of Strategic Missile Group exercise.
Russia
3 Aug	1 Topol (SS-25?) ICBM	From Plesetsk, impact on Kura range.
7 Sep	1 Bulava SLBM	From Dmitry Donskoy (Typhoon) in White Sea. Failed.
9 Sep	1 SS-N-23 SLBM	From K-84 (Delta IV) at North Pole, impact on Kizha range.
10 Sep	1 SS-N-18 SLBM	From Delta III in Pacific, impact on Kizha range.
25 Oct	1 Bulava SLBM	From Dmitry Donskoy (Typhoon) in White Sea. Failed.
9 Nov	1 SS-19 ICBM	From Silo in Baykonur, impact on Kura range.
21 Dec	1 SS-18 ICBM	From Orenburg, impact on Kura range.
United States
16 Feb	1 Minuteman III ICBM	From Vandenberg AFB, impact Kwajalein. Final W87/Mk-21 SERV test flight.
Mar/Apr	2 Trident II D5 SLBMs	From SSBN.
4 Apr	1 Minuteman III ICBM	From Vandenberg AFB, impact near Guam. Extended-range, single-warhead flight test.
14 Jun	1 Minuteman III ICBM	From Vandenberg AFB, impact Kwajalein. Three-warhead payload.
20 Jul	1 Minuteman III ICBM	From Vandenberg AFB, impact Kwajalein. Three-warhead flight test. Launched by E-6B TACAMO airborne command post.
21 Nov	2 Trident II D5 SLBMs	From USS Maryland (SSBN-738) off Florida, impact in South Atlantic.
* Unreported events may add to the list. ** Iran does not have nuclear weapons but is suspected of pursuing nuclear weapons capability. *** It is unknown if North Korea has developed a nuclear reentry vehicle for its ballistic missiles.

I researched several of these missiles. In many cases they are exceptionally large and efficient weapons delivery systems. For example, China uses the DF31

DF-31 is a three-stage, solid-propellant intercontinental ballistic missile. The basic variant DF-31 has a range of 8,000km and delivers a payload of between 1,050 and 1,750kg. This payload can be equipped with a single 1,000kT yield nuclear warhead.

The upgraded DF-31A has a range of at least 10,000km. The missile is said to be capable of deliver 3~5 MTRVs each with 20, 90 or 150kT yield as well as a single 1,000kT yield warhead. It is also possibly equipped with penetration aids and decoys to complicate enemy missile warning and defence.