President John F. Kennedy watching missile launch
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- Details
- Description
- Date
- 1963
- Copyright Owner
- © Bettman/Corbis
- Keywords
- Cold War; SLBM; ICBM
- Object ID
- 500004522
Polaris, a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), complemented ground-launched intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and strategic bombers as America’s nuclear deterrent during the Cold War. Before Polaris, U.S. submarines carried cruise missiles, which could not be launched while submerged.
