Broadhurst Missile Series
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The Broadhurst Missile Series is a group of weapons designed for the FAEC Missile Development Office. The name is a code-name with no particular significance.
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Broadhurst 1
This was a mobile, liquid-fuelled, short-range ballistic missile. It had a range of only 350km, mediocre accuracy, provided constant maintenance problems, and needed an hour prior to launch to be fuelled. It was armed with either a 50KT Type 1 Warhead, or a 1500lb conventional warhead. Broadhurst 1 was carried, and fired from a trailer. The missile entered service with the Air Force in 1962, and was retired in 1969.
Broadhurst 2
This more refined solid-fuelled short-range ballistic missile was intended to replace Broadhurst 1. The Broadhurst 2A had a range of 800km. This weapon solved most of the problems of the Broadhurst 1. The misile entered service with the Air Force in 1966. Broadhurst 2A carried a Type 2 implosion warhead with a yield of 70KT. During the late-1970's, the Department of Defence ordered the development of a new version. This would essentially by a new missile, sharing only some of the airframe with Broadhurst 2A. Broadhurst 2B, now classified a Medium-Range Ballistic Missile incorporated new technologies, including a new engine (which combined with a more efficient type of propellent, increased range to 1800km), radar imaging terminal guidance, a submunition warhead, and a new variable yield thermonuclear warhead, the Type 10 Warhead. The Broadhurst 2B entered service in 1987, and remains in service today.
Broadhurst 3
Broadhurst 3 was a solid-fuelled intermediate-range ballistic missile intended for the FAEC. Broadhurst 3A was a silo launched missile with a range of over 3000km, and a 500KT Type 5 Warhead. It entered service in 1970. It was replaced by the Broadhurst 4 in 1974.
Broadhurst 4
Broadhurst 4 was a solid-fuelled intercontinental ballistic missile with a range of 10000km. It is the first Latin American-made missile with multiple warheads. The Broadhurst 4A entered service in 1971.
Broadhurst 4A
Broadhurst 4A was the initial version. It was silo launched. The payload was a single Type 7 thermonuclear warhead with a yield of 1MT. The missile entered service in 1971. They were all upgraded to Broadhurst 4A2 standard by 1978.
Broadhurst 4B
Broadhurst 4B introduced MIRVs (Multiple Independent Re-entry Vehicles), being armed with 3 Type 8 500KT thermonuclear warheads. This entered service in 1976, and was retrofitted to all Broadhurst 4A's (which were redesignated 4A2).
Broadhurst 4C
Broadhurst 4C was almost a new missile, entering service in 1979, it was mobile, being launched from a trailer, and was armed with 3 MIRV's. It completely replaced the Broadhurst 4A2, and 4B in 1985. Broadhurst 4C was withdrawn from service in 2006.
Broadhurst 4D
Broadhurst 4D is a satellite launching vehicle identical to the Broadhurst 4B (except for the payload).
Broadhurst 4E
Broadhurst 4E is a heavy satellite launcher. It has a fourth-stage, and a set of solid boosters.
Broadhurst 4F
Broadhurst 4C's are being sold (without payload packages, of course) as satellite launchers as Broadhurst 4F's.
The series will continue to be developed for the satellite launching role for the EC armed forces, and civlian applications.
Broadhurst 5
Broadhurst 5 is a solid-fuelled combined intercontinental ballistic missile, and submarine-launched ballistic missile. Its range of 13000km means that an Ohio-class SSBN could hit any strategic target from its base. The missile is armed with 10 MARVs, each carrying a Type 12 thermonuclear warhead with a yield of 6-700KT. There are two versions, Broadhurst 5A is used by the AEC in its Ohio-class SSBN's, and Broadhurst 5B which is used by the FAEC Comando de Aviones Estrategicos from a specialised 14-wheel Transporter-Erector-Launcher. This latter vehicle has impressive off-road performance ensuring that the ECAL's nuclear deterrent is safe from enemy attack.
Broadhurst 6
Broadhurst 6 is intended to replace the Broadhurst 2B. It is a two stage solid-fuelled intermediate-range ballistic missile. It has a range of approximately 3000km (3200km with a nuclear warhead). Broadhurst 6 was successfully flight tested in 2006. It carries a 1500lb high explosive warhead, a submunitions warhead, and a new nuclear warhead. The latter, based on the Type 12 warhead, is a variable yield thermonuclear warhead with yields ranging from 0.1-700KT. The missile is fully mobile on an eight-wheeled truck. Broadhurst 6 entered service in late-April 2006.
