The Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (FOBS) was developed by the Soviet Union in 1960s. The system is used to launch nuclear warheads from space.
There was no limit to the system’s range. That is to say, it can be directed at any location on the globe. The target location is not revealed until the payload reaches its destination, according to the warhead’s flight route from the system. The system’s orbit around the planet, however, was only a fraction of the whole orbit.
It granted unlimited striking range. It was capable of striking from any direction. It was smart to hide the target location till the payload was dropped. According to the Soviet Union, the FOBS was capable of trumping the anti-ballistic missiles of the US.
Flight Tests of FOBS
The first flight test was conducted in 1965. It was a failure. The second test was conducted in 1966. It was a partial success. Finally, in 1968, after its twentieth test the Soviet succeeded in FOBS. This FOBS project was called R-360. In 1971, the Soviet Union placed 18 R-360s in service in Kazakhstan. According to NATO, the primary target of FOBS was the US Grand Forks Air Force base. The R-360 was loaded with nuclear payload in 1972.
