POLARIS SUBMARINE PROGRAM IS ENDING TODAY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP75-00001R000100110036-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: November 16, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 8, 2000
• Sequence Number: 36
• Publication Date: July 21, 1966
• Content Type: NSPR

NEW YD& "11ME5
Approved For Release 2000,f121 --RDP75-00001 R0001 00110036-6
CPYRGHT CPYRGHT
CPYRGHT
Polaris Submarine Program Is Ending Today
By HANSON W. BALDWIN
The en o a naval consEFU
ton program that has revolu
t Groton, Conn.
Mrs. Hubert H. Humphre
tie 41st and last of'theenation'
Polaris ballistic missile subma
rines.
The lannehin2' culminates
en su-auu a,-aaw a-yca? +.~o.. ..
tion program that has mate
nuclear powered submarine
capable of indefinite submer
epee, to 2,500-mile missiles wit
nuclear warheads capable
'dev`astating any area on earl
Rogers-named for the )aria
twirling cowboy-humorist wh
was born in the Indian Terri
tory, now Oklahoma-i$ the cu
mination of a program th
started with a National Securit
Council recommendation in 195
It is a program. that h
transforms the submarine fro
a destroyer of commerce an
undersea marauder to a maj
strategic threat to any natio
on earth. The Polaris missile h
become a key part of the Unit
States deterrent to nuclear wa
and sea power for the first ti
in history has extended its rea
to the innermost land=lock
fastnesses of the world's cont
vets.
Each, of the Al Polaris su
wnicn can be 1auxichCU w111
the submarine s submerge
T11e total nuni_bgr of sea-bas
nuclear-tipped missiles carri
!therefore be 656.
The 41 submarines are
(three classes. The first five
the George Washington cla
41st Vessel, Last of Series;
to Be Christened at Groton
Ceremony by Mrs. Hamphrey
Polaris missile. These fi
since 1961 have been, or are b
ing, refitted to launch the 2,50
nautical-mile A-3 missile.'
500-nautical-lnile A-2 Pola
missile. The rest of the Pola
launch the A-3 version.
Modifications Possible
scheduled, for operational rea
ness in the nineteen-seventie
I feet in diameter, as opposed
Poseidon'. effectiveness against
a hardened, or protected target
This fleet of nuclear-powered)
since 1960, when- the Georg
Washington successful)
launched tier first two ballisti
missiles from a submerged posi
merged patrols of. 57 to 60 day
each, alternately manned by on
of two crews-a Blue crew an
a Gold crew.
More than 264 operational pa
trols in sea areas within firing
range - of Communist target.
have been conducted in the At
lantic, the Mediterranean an
the Pacific to June 1 1966, ark
as far as is known, no Polari
submarine ever has been sue
cessfully tracked by Sovie
ships, submarines or planes.
Each submarine so far de
ployed has maintained 15 mis
sues ready to fire 99,9 per cen
of the time and all 16 missile
ready to fire 98.1 per cent of th
time. Every patrol and deploy
ment commitment has been me
on time; there have been no can -
cellations or postponements be
cause of failures of missile
submarines, or crews.
About two-thirds of the 4
Polaris submarines will normal
ly be on station at any on
time, operating froih advanc
bases at Holy Loch, Scotian ,
Rota, Spain, and Apra, Gu
ity or quantity by any oth
power.
Britain is building, with hel
from the United States, fo
similar missile submarines. T
craft. China has one missil
firing submarine,, with thr ,;
Approved For Release 2000/05/24: CIA-RDP75-00001 R000100110036-6