United States of America
Poseidon C-3 Missiles
Updated 03 November 2008
The next generation of fleet ballistic missiles to follow Polaris was the Poseidon C-3 missile.  Longer, larger and heavier than the Polaris, the C-3 carried multiple warheads, each of which could be targeted separately over a wider space and variety of target footprints.  The C-3 Poseidon was twice as accurate and its warheads had twice the explosive power of the A-3.  Considering these factors, experts believe the C-3 was eight times as deadly as the A-3.

The first submarine to carry and launch a C-3 missile was USS James Madison (SSBN-627) in August of 1970.
WMUS_Poseidon-C3_Launch_pic.jpg

Poseidon Missile launched from a submarine
Photograph copyrighted by Lockheed-Martin Missile and Space
Picture comparing Poseidon C-3 and Trident I C-4

The Poseidon is on the left and the Trident is on the right
In the foreground is a model of USS Ulysses S. Grant SSBN-631
U.S. Navy Photograph No. DN-SC-82-00006
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Description
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Designation Poseidon C-3 UGM-73A
Ship Class Used On USS Lafayette SSBN-616 and Benjamin Franklin SSBN-640 Class Submarines
Date In Service 1970
Weight 65,000 lbs. (29,484 kg)
Dimensions 74 X 408 in (188 X 1,036 cm)
Payload Up to 14 MIRV or ten 50 kt Mark 3 RV warheads
Range With MIRV:  2,500 nm
With RV:  3,200 nm
Propulsion 2 stage solid fuel rocket
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Data from
Lockheed-Martin Missile and Space
"The Naval Institute Guide to World Naval Weapon Systems 1991/92" by Norman Friedman
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China Lake Museum