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Show 1970 i NUCLEAR WARHEADS POISED mm eeoaflvto Respond Since the first Air Force Minuteman ICBM lifted on a ball of orange flame from its launch pad and blazed a new trail through the Florida sky, the missile has become the mainstay of the U.S. and is probably missile force the greatest, single deterrent to potential aggressors in the world today. A thousand of these space-ag- e weapons with nuclear warheads poised, and capable of a range of well over 6,000 miles, are sealed into hardened silos in six states, ready to respond to an attack on the United States within 60 seconds. The weapon system has been improved steadily in design and capability, with the Minuteman III currently replacing some of the Minuteman I's. But even the most efficient weapons in the world require complex support systems to keep for the instant them blast-ofor day night, year around. the From moment the Minuteman went into the Air Force inventory late in 1962, it has received this kind of support from Air Force Logistics Command's Ogden Air Materiel Area (OOAMA highly-sophisticat- ed Hill AFB, Utah). And, as the missiles complexity, so do the increase in engineering support, tools, test equipment and required for their maintenance. Advanced System The Minuteman II, for example, is a much advanced system over the initial weapon system. The II has an improved second stage giving great thrust, increased range and a larger payload. A more effective inertial guidance system provides for a selection of several targets. According to Maj. Gen. Richard Boeing (assembly) Plant 77 on Hill Air Force Base. Here the repair, check and testing of the "failed" missile with a much larger third stage, and equipped with multiple, vehicles," independent the general said. management Logistics keeping the weapon system at "GO" is the specific responsibility of the Ogden AMA's Minuteman System Management Division in the Directorate of Materiel Management. re-entr- y Minuteman missiles returned from the launch sites takes place. The complex is operated under the Directorate of Maintenance, which is directed by Col. C. J. Beck. Systems Checked In their silos the Minuteman ICBM's guidance systems are automatically checked around-the- clock to detect malfunctions that would topple the mighty missiles from their vital, deterrent role. All other electronic systems are given periodic checks. The division, with 368 personnel, is headed by Col. Edward Hawkins. His deputy is Ray E. Close. Four primary functions of the division are: materiel control, technical services, production management and integration of all engineering and other logistics aspects of the weapon system. As system manager for the USAF Minuteman, the division's responsibilities are almost endless. For example, its personnel must keep informed of logistics support status to insure that required support is provided. If any malfunction appears and is located in one of the electronic drawers of the ground equipment the component will be mm v...' f V- - i Monitor Repair f, facilities I Division employees must monitor the repair and disposition of operational missiles; determine the requirement for, and assure the assignment of, logistics detachments , or provide the missiles from years in envi trolled lPlnoc 13 U1 points of use, and perform services as required in connection with the repair. If an electronic malfunction other takes Dlace in the T rSckace the the than guidance missile minus warhead and AMA Division." Three Ogden AMA detachments with a total of 95 persons perform valuable service at Norton Air Force Base and Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., and Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. Detachment 41 (AFLC Support Group) at Vandenberg is under the n missiles, an system of daily, automatic rescheduling technique (DART) is now being initiated. The system is based on the concept that any critical path network can be programmed and stored by the automatic data processing equipment. When missile motors must be tested, the job is done by main- tenance personnel at the Hill Range Test Facility, 48 miles west of Hill Air Force Base. To detect possible flaws in the solid fuel motors, that might im- pair performance of the missiles, two of the world's largest in- ultra-moder- U.S Air Force dustrial Part of the overall surveillaL includes ProPellant taken from the siie bat.ches as used in the manufac,urinof the missile motors. This is - uni(e icin8 chunks for ; proWem f -t- (pro Jd s largest aircraft. The . gloves when handling the propellant to avoid skin irritation They use mirrors to watch their Technicians in another Smnwfni1!? fr obtaining section of perfom samples further data. Movement of the missiles ,.nnL to the missile was assembled and shipped out, over 5,000 of the space-ag- e weapons have been transported by aircraft, i truck or railroad. Continual development of the th ctaP; durin transportation have been ordered motor at l for the new, third-stag---- j,. e lf 1 - New Changes to aChanges in other areas imccommodate the constantly include proving missile system maintenance new carriages for the 'a . n0Ur harnesses IUiiijii:a, iiv" 1 (Continued on Page mm 'v ri . CIjDSK C--5 a by m.ecniists in the Maintenance Directorate, who wear plastic D . test, job accomplished I . Jlan samni; X-ra- ys In addition the OOAMA Maintenance Directorate also operates an aging laboratory which stores first, second or third stage motors n.;.;i. t i of about $32,000 each. is dollars Near,y one million price ug of 19 modified missile ar.d transporters; and about two cost the is one-hamillion dollars of 10 transporters to carry missile motors over the highways. A total of 4,232 units 0 equipcn,l valucd al f120 mhZZ ludrng those now in Fcjuretncnt are required to support used system. Some were formerly in jn research and development and olner Air Force commands AMA'i for wcre modified Ogden (linear ac- - transportation branch at are kept in constant sidcrable savings over the volt chase of new equipment. The operated by maintenance Loading a Minuirman con. pits. Sampling Propeiiant linear accelerators are also B1TK "iay weapon system has led to the updating of transportation support With the advent of the more and engineering skills. and intricate equipment sophisticated For example 99 new "carriages to MINUTEMAN: Solid propellant ICBM. manded by Colonel Donald Becker, has a primary mission to provide supervision of Donald Hurst the Air Force Logistics Command focal point to the Air Force (Acting Commander). All memM. Hoban, Ogden AMA combers are specialists in engineering Systems Program Office for the mander, modernization of the first or logistics support functions. Its Minuteman (and Titan ICBM). It wing to receive the Minuteman II primary mission is to monitor and assures proper consideration is missiles was completed Oct. 18, provide engineering, maintenance to the AFLC logistics support given 1967; and to date, two wings have and supply support to test requirements throughout been modernized and turned back at the California air base agencies program all phases of the weapon system (mainly to the Strategic Air Command. to Air Force Systems Command such as design, development and Modernization of the third wing and Strategic Air Command) production. with Minuteman Ill's is now unrelative to the Minuteman, Titan Actual maintenance of the derway. and Bomarc tests. missiles is done in a facility of 10 "The major change in the Logistics Office Detachment 45 assembly-disassembl- y buildings Minuteman II system is to a at Norton Air Force Base, com- - similar to those in the Air Force- - nifl wm of p meaton Jr and missile Directorate of Distribution thorough testing of all systems, The prime goal is to get the missile back into service as soon as and this has been ac- possible complished in as few as four days, according to the division chief. assigned systems and materiel. As one employee expressed it. "You can't think of the Minuteman missile without thinking about the Minuteman Systems Management firm oarage and maintenance ployees. Since the first the weapons receive buildings, distribute required materiel to (JtY--Ji ra -- latches in an adjacent room during the cutting, because of the plosive nature of the solid fuel replaced at the site, and the which burns at temperatures up to defective part sent "home" to Hill 5,000 degrees F. jf Air Force Base for testing and maintenance. In the Ogden ' of tapammies. IV An IndaMrlal acrrlerator to take an rtdkitoeUt at Hill AFB of a Minuteman mi will detect any crack or oid in the propellant. X-ra- y w 4ij |