The 90th Strategic Missile Wing (SMW) was the fifth
United States Air Force LGM-30 Minuteman
ICBM wing to be created (the fourth with the
LGM-30B Minuteman I). In October 1962, construction began over an 8,300-square-mile (21,000 km2) area of
Wyoming,
Nebraska, and
Colorado to build 200 Minuteman ICBM launch silos. On 1 July 1963, the Air Force activated the 90th SMW. The following year, the four component strategic missile squadrons activated 200 Minuteman missiles.
In November 1972, the
Strategic Air Command (SAC) initiated the Minuteman Integrated Improvement Program to harden silos and upgrade command
data buffers, allowing for quicker missile retargeting. Warren AFB also received new missiles: the Minuteman I ICBMs at the base were replaced with the
LGM-30G Minuteman III between 1973 and 1975.
In November 1982, in a decision statement for
Congress,
PresidentRonald Reagan stated his plan to deploy the
MX missile (later designated the LGM-118 Peacekeeper) to superhardened silos located at Warren AFB. In July 1984, construction began on Peacekeeper support facilities there. From 1986 through 1988, 50 Peacekeeper missiles were backfitted into silos formerly occupied by Minuteman IIIs of the 400th Strategic Missile Squadron. The 400th achieved
initial operational capability with ten deployed Peacekeepers in December 1986;
full operational capability was achieved in December 1988 with 50 missiles.
All of the 90th Wing's Minuteman III missile loads were reduced from three warheads to a single warhead by the
START I treaty between 1991 and 2001. Beginning in 2002, the Peacekeepers began to be inactivated for budgetary reasons, and by September 2005, the 400th SMS had been inactivated.
The three active Minuteman III squadrons are commanded by the
90th Operations Group.
Facilities
Missile Alert Facility
Launch Control Center
Minuteman III Launch Facility
The Missile Alert Facility (MAF) consists of a buried and hardened
Launch Control Center (LCC) and an above-ground Launch Control Support Building (LCSB). MAFs were formerly known as Launch Control Facilities (LCFs) but the terminology changed in 1992 with the inactivation of the Strategic Air Command (SAC). In addition, a MAF has a helicopter
landing pad, a large radio tower, a large "top hat" HF antenna; a garage for security vehicles; recreational facilities, and one or two
sewage lagoons. The entire site, except for the helicopter pad and sewage lagoons, is secured with a fence and security personnel. About a dozen
airmen and officers are assigned to a MAF.
The underground LCC contains the
command and control equipment for missile operations. It is staffed by the two launch officers who have primary control and responsibility over the ten underground hardened Launch Facilities (LFs) within its
flight; each contains an operational missile. Each of the five LCCs also has the ability to command and monitor all 50 LFs within the squadron. The LFs themselves are unmanned, except when maintenance and security personnel are needed there.
A squadron is composed of five flights, denoted by a letter of the alphabet; facilities controlled by the flight are designated by a number, 01 through 11, with 01 designating the MAF.
Units and locations
319th Missile Squadron
Activated by Strategic Air Command on 24 May. 1963. Organized on 1 October 1963.
Emblem of the 319th Missile Squadron
319th Missile Squadron – Missile Alert Facilities and Launch Facilities
Activated by Strategic Air Command on 10 December 1963. Organized on 1 July 1964. Initially equipped with LGM-30B Minuteman I missiles. With the deployment of the
LGM-118A Peacekeeper in 1987, the squadron's 50 Minuteman silos (Flights P through T) were converted to the Peacekeeper for operational duty. The Peacekeepers were retired between October 2002 and September 2005, and the squadron was formally inactivated on 19 September 2005.
Emblem of the 400th Missile Squadron
400th Missile Squadron – Missile Alert Facilities and Launch Facilities
The 90th Strategic Missile Wing (SMW) was the fifth
United States Air Force LGM-30 Minuteman
ICBM wing to be created (the fourth with the
LGM-30B Minuteman I). In October 1962, construction began over an 8,300-square-mile (21,000 km2) area of
Wyoming,
Nebraska, and
Colorado to build 200 Minuteman ICBM launch silos. On 1 July 1963, the Air Force activated the 90th SMW. The following year, the four component strategic missile squadrons activated 200 Minuteman missiles.
In November 1972, the
Strategic Air Command (SAC) initiated the Minuteman Integrated Improvement Program to harden silos and upgrade command
data buffers, allowing for quicker missile retargeting. Warren AFB also received new missiles: the Minuteman I ICBMs at the base were replaced with the
LGM-30G Minuteman III between 1973 and 1975.
In November 1982, in a decision statement for
Congress,
PresidentRonald Reagan stated his plan to deploy the
MX missile (later designated the LGM-118 Peacekeeper) to superhardened silos located at Warren AFB. In July 1984, construction began on Peacekeeper support facilities there. From 1986 through 1988, 50 Peacekeeper missiles were backfitted into silos formerly occupied by Minuteman IIIs of the 400th Strategic Missile Squadron. The 400th achieved
initial operational capability with ten deployed Peacekeepers in December 1986;
full operational capability was achieved in December 1988 with 50 missiles.
All of the 90th Wing's Minuteman III missile loads were reduced from three warheads to a single warhead by the
START I treaty between 1991 and 2001. Beginning in 2002, the Peacekeepers began to be inactivated for budgetary reasons, and by September 2005, the 400th SMS had been inactivated.
The three active Minuteman III squadrons are commanded by the
90th Operations Group.
Facilities
Missile Alert Facility
Launch Control Center
Minuteman III Launch Facility
The Missile Alert Facility (MAF) consists of a buried and hardened
Launch Control Center (LCC) and an above-ground Launch Control Support Building (LCSB). MAFs were formerly known as Launch Control Facilities (LCFs) but the terminology changed in 1992 with the inactivation of the Strategic Air Command (SAC). In addition, a MAF has a helicopter
landing pad, a large radio tower, a large "top hat" HF antenna; a garage for security vehicles; recreational facilities, and one or two
sewage lagoons. The entire site, except for the helicopter pad and sewage lagoons, is secured with a fence and security personnel. About a dozen
airmen and officers are assigned to a MAF.
The underground LCC contains the
command and control equipment for missile operations. It is staffed by the two launch officers who have primary control and responsibility over the ten underground hardened Launch Facilities (LFs) within its
flight; each contains an operational missile. Each of the five LCCs also has the ability to command and monitor all 50 LFs within the squadron. The LFs themselves are unmanned, except when maintenance and security personnel are needed there.
A squadron is composed of five flights, denoted by a letter of the alphabet; facilities controlled by the flight are designated by a number, 01 through 11, with 01 designating the MAF.
Units and locations
319th Missile Squadron
Activated by Strategic Air Command on 24 May. 1963. Organized on 1 October 1963.
Emblem of the 319th Missile Squadron
319th Missile Squadron – Missile Alert Facilities and Launch Facilities
Activated by Strategic Air Command on 10 December 1963. Organized on 1 July 1964. Initially equipped with LGM-30B Minuteman I missiles. With the deployment of the
LGM-118A Peacekeeper in 1987, the squadron's 50 Minuteman silos (Flights P through T) were converted to the Peacekeeper for operational duty. The Peacekeepers were retired between October 2002 and September 2005, and the squadron was formally inactivated on 19 September 2005.
Emblem of the 400th Missile Squadron
400th Missile Squadron – Missile Alert Facilities and Launch Facilities