HC Deb 13 June 1984 vol 61 c521W
Mr. D. E. Thomas

asked the Secretary of State for Defence in what way the term throweight as used in the statement on the nuclear balance in the Defence Estimates 1984 is a measure of the destructive potential of nuclear missiles.

Mr. Stanley

The throweight of a ballistic missile is the maximum useful weight, and therefore a measure of the capacity, of the boost stage of a missile. It is directly related to the number and size of warheads which can be carried and thus the destructive power of the missile.

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