Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site fisher.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!hao!hplabs!tektronix!uw-beaver!cornell!vax135!houxm!mhuxj!ulysses!allegra!princeton!astrovax!fisher!david From: david@fisher.UUCP (David Rubin) Newsgroups: net.politics Subject: Re: Re: Strategic Arms (reply to Tim Sevener) and Apologia Message-ID: <328@fisher.UUCP> Date: Wed, 26-Sep-84 12:22:13 EDT Article-I.D.: fisher.328 Posted: Wed Sep 26 12:22:13 1984 Date-Received: Mon, 8-Oct-84 03:22:45 EDT References: <204@tekigm.UUCP>, <1822@ucbvax.ARPA> <493@tty3b.UUCP> <1889@ucbvax.ARPA>, <222@whuxl.UUCP> <1983@randvax.UUCP> <238@whuxl.UUCP>Wed, 26-Sep-84 09:22:13 PDT Organization: Princeton Univ. Statistics Lines: 20 medin@ucbarpa asks: >Even if the Soviet's would >have signed a treaty banning mirv's, I'd like to point out one >very important point: How do you verify that a missile isnt mirv'ed? Our intelligence services claim to be able to count Soviet warheads and Soviet launchers, as both capabilities are necessary for any strategic treaty. If the number of warheads substantially exceeds the number of launchers, one may safely conclude that MIRVing has taken place. Thus MIRVing can be checked. What can't be checked is the difference between MIRVing (where the warheads are independently targetable even though on a single launcher) and MARVing (where they aren't). Thus, it it necessary to assume all launchers with multiple warheads are indeed MIRVed when negotiating strategic treaties. David Rubin {allegra|astrovax|princeton}!fisher!david