Article • Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles

The Minuteman Missile

Minuteman Missile National Historic Site

A Minuteman II missile test launches
USAF

The Minuteman was - and still is today - a technological wonder. The first solid fuelled Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) the U.S. Air Force would deploy, the Minuteman could stand dormant and unmanned for days, weeks, months and decades on end, needing only limited maintenance and upkeep.

At A Moment's Notice

Remotely controlled from underground launch control centers miles away from the silos, it offered a hair trigger launch response. From the time keys were turned to execute a positive launch command, until the missile left the silo, only took about a minute. Hence the name Minuteman. The name was also a play on the same term used to describe America's Revolutionary War soldiers who responded within a matter of minutes to protect the homeland from the British.

Deployment - Past, Present & Future

The first Minuteman came online in Montana at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis on October 26, 1962. During the following year, 1,000 Minuteman's were placed across the central and northern Great Plains. They were deployed in six wings out of Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana (200), Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota (150), Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota (150), Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri (150), F.E. Warren Air Force Base (200) and Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota (150)

The Minuteman has gone through several upgrades over the years, increasing its distance, accuracy and efficiency. At present there are 400 Minuteman III missiles operational on the Great Plains. These are based out of Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana, Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, and F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming.

To learn more about the four different types of the Minuteman deployed during the past half century click on the links below.

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Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
The Minuteman IA & IB Missiles
- Locations: Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
The Minuteman IA and IB were the first solid fueled ICBM ever deployed by the United States. Due to its limited range of 4,300 miles the IA was only deployed out of Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana. The Minuteman IB was an improvement over the IA version. Specifically, it had a lighter weight motor housing that allowed it to strike targets up to 6,000 miles away. It was first deployed out of Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota.
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
The Minuteman II Missile
- Locations: Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
The Minuteman II had an improved second stage engine. Due to its specifications the missile could carry a 1.2 megaton warhead. The first Minuteman II's were deployed out of Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota in 1966. It was also the missile that was in the silo at Delta-09, now part of Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, for the longest period.
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
The Minuteman III Missile
- Locations: Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
The Minuteman III is the most current version of the Minuteman missile. It was first deployed in 1970 and was the first ICBM to hold MIRVs (Multiple Independent Reentry Vehicles). It is able to carry one, two or three warheads that can strike separate targets miles away from each other. The Minuteman III is the only ICBM still deployed by the United States. As of 2017 there are over 400 Minuteman III missiles on alert in the Great Plains.
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
The Minuteman Missile
- Locations: Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
The Minuteman was the first solid-fueled ICBM ever deployed. The Minuteman's solid fuel technology brought about a revolution in missile development. It could be remotely controlled, offered precision accuracy, launched in a matter of moments and was cost effective. There have been four versions of the Minuteman, the IA, IB, II and III. The Minuteman first became operational in 1962; over fifty years later, 400 Minuteman III ICBM's are still on alert today.