LGM-30 Minuteman chronology
This is a chronology of the LGM-30 Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile, acquisition and operational.
Program chronology[]
- 1956
- Von Neumann Committee approved Ballistic Missile feasibility program
- R&D programs and contracts authorized
- 1957
- ICBM improvements studies started
- Minuteman configuration studies started
- 1958
- Minuteman R&D program authorized
- 1959
- First R&D firing from silo - inert second and third stage
- 1960
- First contract for operational wing facilities at Wing I
- Missile production
- 1961
- First all-up missile launch from pad at Eastern Test Range
- First missile launch from silo at Eastern Test Range
- 1962
- First missile launch from Western Test Range
- Minuteman-I operational flight turnover at Wing I
- 1963
- First wing turnover at Wing I, Wing II turnover
- Force Mod program approved
- First motor static test firing to verify reliability
- 1964
- Wing III and Wing IV turnover
- New features approved
- Minuteman-II flight test
- GIANT BOOST
- 1965
- turnover
- Vulnerability improvements
- Minuteman fully operational at Wing II, Wing III
- 1966
- Wing IV turnover
- Minuteman-III approval
- Aging surveillance program initiated
- Minuteman-II operational at Wing VI
- ERCS deployed
- 1967
- Squadron 20 turnover
- Force Mod at Wing IV
- Airborne Launch Control System goes on alert
- 1968
- Hard rock silo program started
- First Minuteman-III R&D flight
- 1969
- Force Mod rate decrease
- Force Mod at Wing I complete
- Service Star testing began for RSs
- 1970 Minuteman-III on display at Air Force Museum
- First Minuteman-III at Wing III (Hotel Flight/H-02)
- Upgrade silo and CDB programs started
- First MOM test at Wing VI
- 1971
- Minuteman-III dust program started
- Force Mod at Wing III completed
- 1972
- Minuteman-III deployed at Wing VI
- First dust-hardened Minuteman-III deployed at Wing VI
- Minuteman ordnance service life analysis program developed
- Responsibility for service life testing transferred to Ogden Air Logistics Center (OO-ALC), Hill Air Force Base, Utah
- 1973
- Upgrade silo and CDB IOC at
- Force Mod and upgrade silo completed at Wing II
- Last MOM at Wing III
- 1974
- Full Force upgrade silo approved
- and Pave Pepper programs started
- SSAS was deployed for Minuteman II
- 1975
- Upgrade silo and CDB completed at
- Upgrade silo and CDB start at Wing III
- Simulated Electronic Launch Minuteman (SELM) program started
- Minuteman bench test program concept developed by OO-ALC
- Minuteman-III fully deployed
- Minuteman program management responsibility transfer (PMRT)
- 1976
- Upgrade silo and CDB completed at Wing III
- Upgrade silo and CDB completed at Wing VI
- Long range service life analysis performed for propulsion system
- Hybrid explicit implemented for Minuteman III
- Minuteman II MGS vibration test program initiated
- New calibration schedule implemented to correct MGS startup transients
- Minuteman II Stage 3 lot 16 motor igniters replaced
- 1977
- Minuteman III missile production terminated
- Inertial performance data began to be collected for guidance system fault isolation
- Began implementation of ILCS at Minuteman II wings
- 1978
- GIP implemented at Minuteman III
- Thrust termination port investigation began
- 1979
- Minuteman II stage 2 motor remanufacturing program began to correct degraded liner/Minuteman III stage 3 degraded liner investigation initiated
- USAF advisory board recommended that carbon-carbon nose tips be developed for MK12 RVs
- 1980
- Upgrade silo and CDB completed at Wing VI
- Minuteman II accuracy/reliability investigation conducted
- VRSA replacement design started
- Diagnostic data package hardware delivered to provide re-entry/separation data for Minuteman II flights
- 1981
- MGS electronics investigation completed
- Accuracy, Reliability, Supportability Improvement Program (ARSIP) program began
- 1982
- Minuteman III guidance upgrade program implemented
- MK12A re-entry vehicle FOC
- Special operational test program began - Minuteman II
- Hardness critical items identified and procured
- 1983
- Minuteman-III MGS vibration test program initiated
- Special operational test program complete - accuracy improvements verified
- 1984
- Minuteman Extended Survivable Power IOC
- GUP implemented for Minuteman III
- 1985
- Rivet MILE (Minuteman Integrated Life Extension) program began
- 1986
- LGM-118A Peacekeeper deployment initiated
- 1987
- Integrated Nuclear Effects Assessment (INEA)
- ARSIP implemented for Minuteman II
- Piece-parts manufacturing for diminished manufacturing sources
- Rivet MILE began Improved Minuteman Physical Security System (IMPSS) installation
- 1988
- Minuteman-III Stage 2 washout/Stage 3 replacement
- Comprehensive reliability investigations conducted
- Peacekeeper fully operational at
- 1989
- Rapid Execution and Combat Targeting (REACT) program initiated
- Rocket Motor Transporter replacement
- Code Change Verifier replacement
- Transporter-Erector replacement
- 1990
- 1991
- Minuteman II removed from SIOP
- 1992
- Minuteman II deactivation initiated
- MESP discontinued
- Rivet MILE completes IMPSS installation
- SRV Program initiated
- Rivet ADD initiated
- Missile Transporter replacement
- Missile Transporter (PT III) replacement
- 1993
- GRP contract awarded
- 1994
- PRP initial contracts awarded
- 1995
- REACT consoles begin deployment
- Minuteman-II deactivation complete
- BRAC decision to close Wing VI by 1998
- 1996
- REACT deployment complete
- 1998
- Wing VI deactivation complete
- Wing VI Minuteman IIIs moved to Wing I
- AF awards ICBM Prime contract to TRW team for ICBM engineering
- 1999
- First NS-50 MGS deployed
- Congress establishes the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
- 2000
- 2001
- PRP deployment initiated
- 2005
- Peacekeeper deactivation complete[1]
- 2007-08
Test Launches[]
Minuteman IA/B | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | System | Location | Nickname | Note | |
1 Feb 1961 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, LF-31A | Serial 401 | ||
19 May 1961 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, LF-31A | |||
27 Jul 1961 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, LF-31A | |||
30 Aug 1961 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, LF-32B | |||
17 Nov 1961 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, LF-32B | |||
18 Dec 1961 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
5 Jan 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
25 Jan 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
15 Feb 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
8 Mar 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
22 Mar 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
24 Apr 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
11 May 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
18 May 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
8 Jun 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
29 Jun 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
12 Jul 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
9 Aug 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
18 Sep 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
19 Sep 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
17 Oct 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
19 Nov 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
7 Dec 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
14 Dec 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
20 Dec 1962 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
7 Jan 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
23 Jan 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
20 Feb 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
18 Mar 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
27 Mar 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
10 Apr 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
18 May 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
28 May 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
5 Jun 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
27 Jun 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
1 Jul 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
17 Jul 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
25 Jul 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
5 Aug 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
27 Aug 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
7 Nov 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
13 Nov 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
18 Dec 1963 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
16 Jan 1964 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
28 Jan 1964 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
12 Feb 1964 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
25 Feb 1964 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
27 Feb 1964 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
13 Mar 1964 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
20 Mar 1964 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
30 Mar 1964 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
7 Apr 1964 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
24 Apr 1964 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
29 Sep 1964 | Minuteman I | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
Minuteman II | |||||
Date | System | Location | Nickname | Note | |
24 Sep 1964 | Minuteman II | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
29 Sep 1964 | Minuteman II | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
29 Oct 1964 | Minuteman II | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
15 Dec 1964 | Minuteman II | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
18 Dec 1964 | Minuteman II | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
28 Jan 1965 | Minuteman II | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
7 May 1965 | Minuteman II | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
25 May 1965 | Minuteman II | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
3 Aug 1965 | Minuteman II | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
23 Aug 1965 | Minuteman II | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
24 Sep 1965 | Minuteman II | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
1 Oct 1965 | Minuteman II | Cape Canaveral AFS, | |||
13 Dec 1966 | Minuteman II | Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 | First Minuteman ERCS test | ||
2 Feb 1967 | Minuteman II | Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 | Second Minuteman ERCS test | ||
4 Aug 1970 | Minuteman II | Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 | GIANT MOON 1, GLORY TRIP 16L | ||
22 Oct 1971 | Minuteman II | Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 | GIANT MOON 2, GLORY TRIP 40L | ||
22 Mar 1972 | Minuteman II | Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 | GIANT MOON 3, GLORY TRIP 200L | ||
26 Jul 1973 | Minuteman II | Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 | GIANT MOON 4 | ||
12 Mar 1974 | Minuteman II | Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 | GIANT MOON 5 | ||
22 Oct 1974 | Minuteman II | Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 | GIANT MOON 6 | ||
5 Sep 1975 | Minuteman II | Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 | GIANT MOON 7 | ||
26 Oct 1976 | Minuteman II | Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 | GIANT MOON 8 |
ALCS-assisted ICBM Launches | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date | Designation | System | Location | Note | |
3 Mar 1967 | BUSY LOBBY | Minuteman | Vandenberg AFB, LF 5 | First ALCS-assisted launch | |
17 Apr 1967 | BUSY MISSILE | Minuteman | Vandenberg AFB, LF 08 | ||
28 Apr 1967 | BUSY MUMMY | Minuteman | Vandenberg AFB, LF 02 | ||
11 May 1967 | BUSY FELLOW | Minuteman | Vandenberg AFB, LF 21 | ||
25 Jan 1968 | OLY TRIALS 7 | Minuteman II | Vandenberg AFB, | ||
12 Mar 1969 | GIANT FIST 3 | Minuteman II | Vandenberg AFB, LF 04 | ||
18 Apr 1969 | SST M-3 | Minuteman II | Vandenberg AFB, | ||
18 Jun 1969 | GLORY TRIP 37B | Minuteman II | Vandenberg AFB, LF 07 | ||
23 Jul 1969 | GLORY TRIP 41B | Minuteman II | Vandenberg AFB, LF 07 | ||
26 Aug 1969 | GLORY TRIP 15F | Minuteman II | Vandenberg AFB, | ||
13 Oct 1969 | GLORY TRIP 22F | Minuteman | Vandenberg AFB, | ||
21 Oct 1969 | GLORY TRIP 45B | Minuteman | Vandenberg AFB, LF 07 | ||
5 Dec 1969 | GLORY TRIP 50B | Minuteman | Vandenberg AFB, LF 07 | ||
23 Mar 1970 | GLORY TRIP 63B | Minuteman | Vandenberg AFB, LF 07 | ||
21 May 1970 | GLORY TRIP 55F | Minuteman | Vandenberg AFB, | ||
8 Jun 1970 | GLORY TRIP 72B | Minuteman | Vandenberg AFB, LF 07 | ||
9 Jul 1970 | GLORY TRIP 66F | Minuteman | Vandenberg AFB, | ||
3 Aug 1970 | GLORY TRIP 61F | Minuteman | Vandenberg AFB, | ||
4 Aug 1970 | GLORY TRIP 16L | Minuteman | Vandenberg AFB, LF 05 | ||
26 Aug 1970 | GLORY TRIP 43M | Minuteman | Vandenberg AFB, LF 05 |
References[]
Categories:
- Intercontinental ballistic missiles of the United States
- Cold War weapons of the United States