×

On alert for nearly 50 years

Boeing-built Minuteman III ICBM continues to provide strategic deterrence for US, allies

Submitted Photo from Boeing Company A Boeing-built Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile has been providing strategic deterrence for nearly 50 years.

“The nation’s first triple-warhead Minuteman III wing, composed of 150 deadly missiles, each capable of carrying three nuclear payloads of total destruction more than 6,000 miles, is operational and ready for use, if the world comes to that.”

That was the lead to a story published in the Minot Daily News on Dec. 15, 1971, telling the 91st Strategic Missile Wing (now 91st Missile Wing) at Minot Air Force Base had become the first multi-warhead Minuteman III wing declared operational.

The Air Force had selected the Minot missile wing to become the first wing to convert to the Minuteman III ICBMs. The 741st Strategic Missile Squadron, a unit of the Minot missile wing, became the first operational Minuteman III squadron in 1970, according to Minot AFB history.

Nearly 50 years later, the Minuteman III ICBMs remain in service under the control of Air Force Global Strike Command — continuing its mission of providing strategic deterrence for the U.S. and our allies, according to Boeing Company information.

The current ICBM force consists of Minuteman III missiles with the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.; the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom AFB, Mont.; and the 91st Missile Wing at Minot AFB.

Submitted Art The Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile was preceded by Minuteman I and Minuteman II. Minot Air Force Base’s 91st Missile Wing and missile wings in Montana and Wyoming have the Minuteman III. Graphic from Boeing Company.

The Air Force’s next-generation land-based ICBM system, called Ground Based Strategic Deterrent, is in the early stages of development. It is slated to replace all 450 Minuteman III missiles in service with the U.S. Air Force beginning in the late 2020s.

Queena Jones, a spokeswoman for Boeing, said in an email, “Boeing is continuing its work on GBSD Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction (TMRR). Boeing has delivered substantial value under the TMRR contract, achieving all contract milestones on time and receiving strong performance feedback from the Air Force. Boeing is on track to deliver its preliminary GBSD design to the Air Force in 2020.”

Recently, Boeing informed the Air Force that it will not bid GBSD Engineering and Manufacturing Development under the current acquisition approach. However, Boeing continues to support the ICBM mission and is in discussion with the Department of Defense, industry partners including Northrop Grumman, and others to accelerate the acquisition schedule to meet the GBSD mission needs,” Jones also said.

In the December 1971 story, the Minot Daily News reported on the then Minuteman III modernization:

“Nestled in underground silos beneath the snow-covered North Dakota plains in eight counties surrounding Minot Air Force Base, the 150 triple-warhead weapons form the 91st Strategic Missile Wing.

“Three squadrons, the 740th, 741st and 742nd, make up the wing, headquartered at the base.”

Underground launch control centers in the missile field are manned 24 hours per day, according to the story.

Of the more than 6,000 military personnel at the base, about 1,030 were directly assigned to the missile wing, the story said.

Minot’s missiles were the first 150 of a force of 550 Minuteman III weapons planned as the “backbone of the Air Force’s attack arsenal, along with B-52 bombers, also deployed at the base,” the story also said.

These new missiles at Minot AFB replaced single-warhead Minuteman I models, which were taken out of the silos in modification work, the Minot Daily News reported.

Conversion of the Minot complex to the first triple-warhead wing in the nation began in 1969 with Boeing Co. of Seattle as prime contractor, the newspaper reported. No final cost figures were released at the time but the price tag on the work was estimated at around $450 million, including the cost of the missiles.

“Called MIRV, for Multiple Independent Re-entry Vehicle, the Minuteman III represents the ultimate to date in the field of ballistic war missiles. Each of the three warheads carried by each weapon can be released independently at pre-arranged targets.

“Standing 59 feet and 3 inches in height, weighs 76,000 pounds and can travel at a speed in excess of 15,000 miles per hour. Should the ‘balloon go up’ and the nation be forced to defend itself in an all-out nuclear conflict, the buried Minot missiles could be unleashed and be on their way to targets within a half-minute interval,” the Minot Daily News reported.

Boeing Minuteman III history

The development of the LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBM began with a research and development contract to the Boeing Company in July 1965. Upgrades to the missile system were approved and went into development in 1968, according to Boeing information.

The design for the Minuteman III had a larger, more powerful third stage than Minuteman I or II, and an enhanced post-boost stage, providing greater target flexibility and serving as a force multiplier, Boeing officials said.

The Minuteman III was only supposed to remain in service for 10 years. Decades later, Boeing remains integral to keeping the Minuteman III going strong, with an average alert rate of 99.7 percent, Boeing information said.

Boeing continues to support the Air Force’s sustainment efforts to keep the Minuteman III reliable into the 2030s, according to Boeing.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today