M20 (missile)

The M20 was a French submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) deployed on the nuclear Redoutable-class submarines from 1977. It was withdrawn from service by 1991.

History

The M20 was the third member of the MSBS (Mer-Sol-Balistique-Stratégique, "sea-ground ballistic strategic") family which comprised a number of submarine-launched, intermediate range missiles. The force constitutes the second leg of the French nuclear deterrent force.

The M1 version went into service in 1971 and was phased out in favour of the M2 in 1974, itself replaced by the M20 in 1977. The new M4 missile entered service in 1985 and has replaced the M-20. French nuclear-powered submarines (SNLE: Sous-marin Nucléaire Lanceur d'Engins, "Nuclear Device-Launching Submarine"), are able to carry 16 missiles each. The oldest ship, Redoutable, was not converted to carry the M-4 and was withdrawn from service in 1991. Logistical support for the MSBS fleet is provided by the Île Longue Naval Base in Brest Bay, where the assembly and storage facilities for maintenance of readiness are located. Three SSBNs are intended to be operational at any one time.

Missile

In modern usage, a missile is a self-propelled precision-guided munition system, as opposed to an unguided self-propelled munition, referred to as a rocket (although these too can also be guided). Missiles have four system components: targeting and/or missile guidance, flight system, engine, and warhead. Missiles come in types adapted for different purposes: surface-to-surface and air-to-surface missiles (ballistic, cruise, anti-ship, anti-tank, etc.), surface-to-air missiles (and anti-ballistic), air-to-air missiles, and anti-satellite weapons. All known existing missiles are designed to be propelled during powered flight by chemical reactions inside a rocket engine, jet engine, or other type of engine. Non-self-propelled airborne explosive devices are generally referred to as shells and usually have a shorter range than missiles.

In ordinary British-English usage predating guided weapons, a missile is "any thrown object", such as objects thrown at players by rowdy spectators at a sporting event.

Missile (1987 film)

Missile is a 1987 American documentary film by Frederick Wiseman. It chronicles the 14 week training course for the men and women of the United States Air Force who are charged with manning the ICBM silos in remote places like Minot AFB and Whiteman AFB. The film shows discussions of the ethics of nuclear war, shows scenes from the daily lives of trainees, and shows demonstrations of training exercises such as counterterrorism, the launching of nuclear missiles, the command and control process, and basic military training. Most scenes in the film are of classroom training, interspersed with exercises in training facilities. The film includes a scene of an Air Force church service memorial for the astronauts killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

In the typical style of Wiseman's films, the documentary is unadorned by commentary, narration, or music.

References

Missile (disambiguation)

A missile is a self-propelled guided projectile used as a weapon towards a target.

Missile may also refer to:

See also

M20

M20 or M-20 may refer to:

In transportation:

In science and technology:

In firearms and military equipment:

M16 (rocket)

The M16 was a 4.5-inch (110 mm) spin-stabilized unguided rocket developed by the United States Army during the Second World War. Entering service in April 1945 to replace the earlier fin-stabilised M8 rocket, it was used late in the war and also during the Korean War before being removed from service.

Development

Developed during the latter stages of the Second World War, the M16 was the first 4.5-inch (110 mm) unguided, spin-stabilized rocket to be standardized for production by the United States Army.31 inches (790 mm) in length, it could hit targets as far as 5,200 yd (4,800 m) from its launcher. The M16 was launched from T66 "Honeycomb" 24-tube launchers, and could also be fired from 60-tube "Hornet's Nest" launchers. The United States Marine Corps developed launching systems for the M16 rocket as well, capable of being fitted to standard 3/4 and 2.5-ton trucks. A version of the M16 rocket for single launchers, the M20, was developed as a derivative; practice rounds designated M17 and M21 were also manufactured.

Eighth Avenue Line (Manhattan surface)

The Eighth Avenue Line is a public transit line in Manhattan, New York City, United States, running mostly along Eighth Avenue from Lower Manhattan to Harlem. Originally a streetcar line, it is now the M10 bus route and the M20 bus route, operated by the New York City Transit Authority. The M10 bus now only runs north of 57th Street (near Columbus Circle), and the M20 runs south of 65 street.

History

The Eighth Avenue Railroad opened the line from the north end of the trackage shared with the Sixth Avenue Railroad's Sixth Avenue Line at Canal Street and Varick Street along Canal Street, Hudson Street, and Eighth Avenue to 51st Street on August 30, 1852. It was eventually extended north to 159th Street, with a branch along Macomb's Lane to 154th Street, and another branch to the south along Canal Street east to Broadway. Buses were substituted for streetcars by the Eighth Avenue Coach Corporation in March 1936, a company owned by Fifth Avenue Coach Company. The New York City Omnibus Corporation took over operations in 1951, and in 1956 it was renamed Fifth Avenue Coach Lines; the Manhattan and Bronx Surface Transit Operating Authority replaced it in 1962.