Posted on 08/15/2020 11:02:40 AM PDT by re_tail20
The land-based leg of the United States’ nuclear triad is the Minuteman III. The Minuteman family has served with distinction as the bedrock of America’s land-based strategic nuclear force since the early 1960s. There are approximately 440 Minutemen currently in the United States’ nuclear arsenal.
It is also the United States’ longest-range missile, and tops out at about 13,000 kilometers, or just over 8,000 miles, giving the United States a truly global reach. The missiles are overseen by the U.S. Air Force, with the majority of the missiles about evenly distributed in the United States’ north and west, at missile launch sites in Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming.
Under the New START treaty, the United States’ Minutemen were somewhat defanged—as of 2016, the Minutemen III missiles have just a single warhead each. Originally, each of the 500 or so missiles were equipped with three warheads each, for a grand total of about 1,500 warheads.
They certainly highly capable—and possibly the most powerful missile system in existence, but the mighty Minutemen III have been in operation for about half a century. Though the missiles are periodically upgraded and serviced, their usefulness is not set to last much longer, and the missiles are slated for replacement before the end of the decade, in or around 2027.
The Ground Based Strategic Deterrent is the Minuteman III’s replacement. Though the exact details of the program are a bit scant, some aspects of the program are known.
In 2017, both Northrop Grumman and Boeing were awarded contracts to develop their own Minuteman III replacement. Both contracts are said to be worth over around $330 million.
If all goes according to schedule, one of the two companies will be selected to build the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent missile in August of this year, although production delays...
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalinterest.org ...
When I was at UNT the undergraduate astronomy class was conducted on the top of a unused missile silo.
So much land in Western states is controlled by the Federal government.
321st Field Missile Maintenance Wing in Grand Forks AFB, 1978-1982.
I’ve never been around a missile, but I have been inside the capsule at LCF’s (MAF) hundreds of times and noticed some very old equipment that could have been bettered at the local Radio Shack.
With that said, a complete upgrade would be well worth the money.
Now, if Harris actually becomes President, will she allow this to even happen? If so what will the level of corruption be? To what extent will the ChiComs be let in on the details?
old news: As the sole bidder on the GBSD program, Northrop Grumman is anticipated to win an estimated $85 billion to design and build the Air Force’s next-generation intercontinental ballistic missiles.
What about the Nike/Zeus’?
Had missile here in Missouri and a Command Center only 2 miles from the house. Just told my wife that would have been cool to see one of those things pop out of the ground.
Until we use the ones we've got.
“Turn your launch key, sir! Sir!? Turn your key, sir!” a tense exchange from some nuclear war movie with a long-forgotten title. Spoken with a .45 auto out and pointed at the hesitant missile silo operator.
Does a chicken have lips?
Harris will probably donate the 441 M-III's to Iran, Palestine, Yemen, California, and Turkey
The opening sequence of War Games, maybe?
That’s a Mexican standoff, you shoot him with your 45, and now you can’t turn both keys, that threat doesn’t mean much.
Interesting article.
SpaceX could do it better, cheaper, and faster.
So shoot him in the foot. He then still has a hand to turn the key.
Visited this place two different times,.....with two different wives.:\
https://titanmissilemuseum.org/
Then they should have bid. They could be a sub contractor since this is a huge project. Almost everybody has a piece, NG got it because they own a rocket engine company. That was the basis of a complaint by Boeing, but the courts just said “I guess you lose then” or something to that effect.
How much will one cost me to buy military surplus?
I don’t remember visiting the home page, much less clicking its link to paste.
Somehow, clicking the article link changed it into the home page link.
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