LGM-30 Minuteman chronology
Appearance
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
- 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
- 1964
- Wing III and Wing IV turnover
- New features approved
- Minuteman-II flight test
- GIANT BOOST
- 1965
- 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
- 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
- 1974
- Full Force upgrade silo approved
- MK12A and Pave Pepper programs started
- SSAS was deployed for Minuteman II
- 1975
- 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 Wing V
- 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