[68skylark]

The Typhoon can fire off its ICBMs from under the thick polar packed ice.

My BS detector went off at this point. I'm no expert, though. Can any of our sub experts confirm whether it's possible to fire off an ICBM from under polar ice?

[Nowhere Man]

My BS detector went off at this point. I'm no expert, though. Can any of our sub experts confirm whether it's possible to fire off an ICBM from under polar ice?

I'm not a sub expert but my guess is that the sub would have to have a hardened sail to crack the ice as she surfaces, after a successful breaking of the ice, they can then launch the missiles. That's the way that I take it. I don't know of any rockets or missiles that can go through the ice. I think the first Soviet SSBN sub to be able to crack through the ice to do this was the Delta II, IIRC.

[DuncanWaring]

The Typhoon can fire off its ICBMs from under the thick polar packed ice.

This claim has two problems that I can think of.

The first is that any missile strong enough to penetrate the polar ice pack would be too heavy to fly.

The second is that even if it were strong enough to penetrate the ice, the only way to generate enough upward force to actually force it through the ice would be to light the motor underwater. Even less likely.

[SampleMan]

Negative on the ice penetrating ICBMs. The sub can operate under the polar ice cap. Although I suppose you could fire one for effect and get rid of that pesky ice.

[Phsstpok]

I believe that Nowhere Man has it right. Both our boomers and the old Soviet counterparts loitered under ice pack and then either broke through the ice with the body of the sub or moved to existing breaks in the pack ice. The North Polar ice is NOT continuous, so there are gaps and thin spots.