Formerly Top Secret
This hand-held image is of the rear of the Penetration Aid Carrier (PAC) of a British Polaris A3TK submarine-launched ballistic missile, developed under Project Chevaline, in its day a very sensitive piece of technology. Today (above), it is on display in the permanent Peace and Security exhibition at the Imperial War Museum (IWM) in London.
The IWM description for the device is: The penetration aids carrier is the delivery system that is mounted under the aerodynamic nose fairing of the submarine-launched inter-continental balistic missile, and is essentially a small space vehicle. It is fitted with manoeuvring jets, space reference units, electronic units/computer, and power and fuel supply systems, etc. that enable it, once separated from the missile, to deploy and position itself in sub-orbit, and releases both countermeasures and warheads in a pre-programmed sequence. For many that may sound like gobbledegook. A look at a Wikipedia diagram may help explain it better: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chevaline_deployment_sequence-.... The IWM reports the PAC is made from metal, plastic, synthetic fibre, rubber and cork.
The PAC would have carried two nuclear warheads. The large hemispherical space in the lower part of the image would have housed one and there's a similar housing on the opposite side.
Wikipedia reports that there are 27 decoys on the PAC, including long- and short-throw decoys, spool-chaff and other types, all of which can be deployed at specified intervals and trajectories, and intended to create considerable (insurmountable?) problems for any ballistic missile defence system (around Moscow) trying to identify the incoming warheads. As such, this device helped ensure Britain's deterrence strategy was strong.
Formerly Top Secret
This hand-held image is of the rear of the Penetration Aid Carrier (PAC) of a British Polaris A3TK submarine-launched ballistic missile, developed under Project Chevaline, in its day a very sensitive piece of technology. Today (above), it is on display in the permanent Peace and Security exhibition at the Imperial War Museum (IWM) in London.
The IWM description for the device is: The penetration aids carrier is the delivery system that is mounted under the aerodynamic nose fairing of the submarine-launched inter-continental balistic missile, and is essentially a small space vehicle. It is fitted with manoeuvring jets, space reference units, electronic units/computer, and power and fuel supply systems, etc. that enable it, once separated from the missile, to deploy and position itself in sub-orbit, and releases both countermeasures and warheads in a pre-programmed sequence. For many that may sound like gobbledegook. A look at a Wikipedia diagram may help explain it better: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chevaline_deployment_sequence-.... The IWM reports the PAC is made from metal, plastic, synthetic fibre, rubber and cork.
The PAC would have carried two nuclear warheads. The large hemispherical space in the lower part of the image would have housed one and there's a similar housing on the opposite side.
Wikipedia reports that there are 27 decoys on the PAC, including long- and short-throw decoys, spool-chaff and other types, all of which can be deployed at specified intervals and trajectories, and intended to create considerable (insurmountable?) problems for any ballistic missile defence system (around Moscow) trying to identify the incoming warheads. As such, this device helped ensure Britain's deterrence strategy was strong.