On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 20:39:16 -0400, "Matt A.00 01 is Matthew Ackerman"
wrote:

Peter Kemp wrote:
On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 17:04:20 -0400, "Matt A.00 01 is Matthew Ackerman"
wrote:

Tom Cooper wrote:
"Matt A.00 01 is Matthew Ackerman" wrote in
message ...

Can anyone tell me what "IRBMS" are. I know about ABMS and ICBMS,
and S.R.B.M. as well as M.R.B.MS are but never read anything till
here about "IRBMS".

IRBM = Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile.

It's the class of ballistic missiles with a range somewhere between
1.500 and 3.000km. They are not "intercontinental", but also not
"tactical" or "short range".

Then why does Jane's Catalog of weapons held by all nations by
nation and by catagory not mention them?

Because you're not using it properly. Get your copy of Janes Strategic
Weapons Systems off the shelf and start reading, there's quite a lot
of data on IRBMs in there, plus the contents of all the strategic
weapons treaties from SALT 1 onwards.

Peter Kemp

Funny the latest copy I have the update for calls them Medium Range not
Intermediate, perhaps they are using both terms based on the person that
does that particular entry. It was also called Medium Range when they all
the sources about the Cuban Missile Crisis describe the class of Missiles
being set up by the Soviets there and when they talk of the old Jupiter
sites in Turkey of that time.

Well, my copy of JSWS is at work so it will have to wait until Monday.
However, after a 15 second search on the internet I found the
following definition...

SRBM- Short Range Ballistic Missiles (0 - 1,000 km)
MRBM- Medium Range Ballistic Missile (1,000 - 2,500 km)
IRBM- Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile (2,500 - 3,500 km)
LRICBM- Limited Range Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (3,500 -
8,000 km)
FRICBM- Full Range Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (8,000 - 12,000
km)

at http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/wo...e-overview.htm


And

Missile Ranges
SRBM
Short-range ballistic missile (1,000 km)
MRBM
Medium-range ballistic missile (1,000-3,000 km)
IRBM
Intermediate-range ballistic missile (3,000-5,500 km)
ICBM
Intercontinental ballistic missile (5,500+ km)

at

http://www.armscontrol.org/factsheets/missiles.asp

So both sites agree that MRBM and IRBM are different, even if they
disagree on the definitions. Watch this space for the Janes
definitions.

Peter Kemp