The Pershing II Weapon System was a solid-fueled two-stage ballistic missile designed and built by Martin Marietta to replace the Pershing 1a Field Artillery Missile System as the United States Army's primary nuclear-capable theater-level weapon. The U.S. Army replaced the Pershing 1a with the Pershing II in 1983 while the German Air Force retained Pershing 1a until all Pershings were eliminated in 1991. Operators : United States Army 56th Artillery Group (1963–1970), 56th Artillery Brigade (1970–1972), 56th Field Artillery Brigade (1972–1986) 1st Missile Battalion, 81st Artillery Regiment (1963–1972), 1st Battalion, 81st Field Artillery Regiment (1972–1986) 3rd Missile Battalion, 84th Artillery Regiment (1963–1968), 3rd Battalion, 84th Field Artillery Regiment (1968–1986) 4th Missile Battalion, 41st Artillery Regiment (1963–1971), 1st Missile Battalion, 41st Artillery Regiment (1971–1972), 1st Battalion, 41st Field Artillery Regiment (1972–1986) 214th Artillery Group (1958–1972), 214th Field Artillery Group (1972–1979), 214th Field Artillery Brigade (1979–1991) 2nd Missile Battalion, 44th Artillery Regiment (1962–1971), 3rd Battalion, 9th Field Artillery Regiment (1971–1990) 1st Field Artillery Missile Brigade 2nd Missile Battalion, 79th Artillery Regiment (1964–1968) West Germany: German Air Force Missile Wing 1 () Missile Group 12 () Missile Group 13 () Missile Wing 2 () Missile Group 21 () Missile Group 22 () Elimination The Pershing systems were eliminated after the ratification of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty on 27 May 1988. The missiles began to be withdrawn in October 1988 and the last of the missiles were destroyed by the static burn of their motors and subsequently crushed in May 1991 at the Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant near Caddo Lake, Texas. Although not covered by the treaty, West Germany agreed unilaterally to the removal of the Pershing 1a missiles from its inventory in 1991, and the missiles were destroyed in the United States. Notes References Pershing missile Military equipment introduced in the 1960s