The Pershing II Weapon System was a solid-fueled two-stage medium-range ballistic missile designed and built by Martin Marietta to replace the Pershing 1a Field Artillery Missile System as the U.S. Army’s primary nuclear-capable theater-level weapon. The U.S. Army replaced the Pershing 1a with the Pershing II Weapon System in 1983. The U.S. Army Missile Command managed the development, and improvements, while the Field Artillery Branch deployed the systems and developed tactical doctrine. Development of an updated Pershing began in 1973.
The Pershing 1a had a 400 kilo-ton warhead that was over-powered for the Quick Reaction Alert tactical role the weapon system filled. Reducing warhead yield required a significant increase in accuracy to match Pershing 1a’s ability to destroy hard targets like command bunkers. The first development launches of the Perishing II occurred in 1977. It was mated with the new W85 warhead or the earth-penetrator W86 warhead. Built on the existing rocket motors, the warhead was packaged in a maneuverable reentry vehicle with an active radar guidance system. Nearly a year prior to testing the Pershing II, the Soviets deployed the RSD-10 Pioneer in Eastern Europe.
Since the RSD-10 had a range of 2,700 miles and two warheads, the range of the Pershing II was increased to 900 miles, giving it the ability to reach targets in eastern Ukraine, Belarus, or Lithuania. Approximately 276 missiles and 108 launchers were produced for the Pershing II program. The elimination and removal of the Pershing II systems from Europe began with the ratification of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in May 1988. The final destruction phase occurred in May 1991 with the missile motors statically burned and crushed at the Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant near Caddo Lake, Texas.
