Table of US ICBM Forces
1959-69 | 1970-79 | 1980-89 | 1990-99 | 2000-12 | Notes

1. The first Atlas D ICBM was placed on alert at Vandenberg Air Force Base (AFB), CA on 31 October 1959. The first Atlas Ds were taken off alert at Vandenberg beginning on 1 May 1964, the last was removed from alert on 1 October 1964. At full strength there were six Atlas D ICBMs at Vandenberg, 15 at F.E. Warren AFB, WY and nine at Offutt AFB, NE.

2. Three nine missile squadrons of Atlas E ICBMs were accepted by SAC in 1961 at Fairchild AFB, WA (operational 3 October 1961); Forbes AFB, KS; and F.E. Warren AFB, WY (operational 7 March 1961). The first Atlas E was taken off alert on 4 January 1965 and the last was removed from alert on 31 March 1965.

3. Six 12 missile Atlas F ICBM squadrons became operational between 9 September and 20 December 1962 at Schilling AFB, KS; Lincoln AFB, NE; Altus AFB, OK; Dyess AFB, TX; Walker AFB, NM; Plattsburgh AFB, NY. The first Atlas F was removed from alert on 1 December 1964 and the last on 12 April 1965.

4.. On 20 April and 10 May 1962 the first two Titan I ICBM squadrons (9 missiles each, both at Lowry AFB, CO) became operational. Four more nine missile squadrons became operational at Ellsworth AFB, SD; Beale AFB, CA; Mountain Home AFB, ID; and lastly on 28 September 1962 at Larson AFB, WA. The first Titan I was taken off alert on 4 January 1965 and the last on 1 April 1965.

5. Six nine missile squadrons of Titan II ICBMs were deployed equally at Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ; McConnell AFB KS; and Little Rock AFB, AK between 8 June and 31 December 1963. Accidents occurred at silos at Rock, KS on 24 August 1978 and Damascus, AK on 19 September 1980. The missiles were not returned to operational service. The first of the remaining 52 Titan IIs was deactivated at Davis Monthan in early 1982. Every 45-60 days a Titan II was deactivated with the last accomplished on 5 May 1987.

6. The first Minuteman missile went on alert on 27 October 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis. A total of nine were on alert on 30 October and the first two flights of Minuteman I ICBMs (20 missiles) were operational on 11 December 1962 at Malmstrom AFB, MT. Eventually there were 150 Minuteman IA ICBMs at Malmstrom and 650 Minuteman IB ICBMs at Ellsworth AFB, SD; Minot AFB, ND; Whiteman AFB, MO; and F.E. Warren AFB, WY. The last Minuteman IA was removed from alert on 15 January 1969 at Malmstrom.

7. The first Minuteman II ICBMs went on alert in January 1966. The first three Minuteman II ICBM squadrons became operational between 2 April and 22 November 1966. On 21 April 1967 SAC reached the level of 1000 operational Minuteman I and II ICBMs. On 27 September 1991 President Bush announced that the Minuteman IIs would be taken off alert. The stand down was completed the following day.

8. The first Minuteman IIIs went on alert 19 August 1970 at Minot AFB, ND. On 29 December 1970 the first squadron of Minuteman III ICBMs became operational at Minot AFB. By 12 July 1975 the Minuteman ICBM force consisted of 450 Minuteman IIs and 550 Minuteman IIIs.

9. On 22 December 1986 the first ten MX missiles became operational at F.E. Warren AFB, WY, replacing Minuteman III ICBMs. On 30 December 1988 the 50 MX ICBMs reached full operational capability.

10. Single Mk-1 reentry vehicle. The W49 (1.4 Mt) nuclear warhead entered Phase 5 (First Production Unit, or FPU) in September 1958, the date the first warhead was produced by the Atomic Energy Commission.

11. The single Mk-2 reentry vehicle was used on the Atlas E and F and Titan I ICBMs. The W38 (3-4 Mt) nuclear warhead entered Phase 5 (FPU) in May 1961, the date the first warhead was produced by the Atomic Energy Commission.

12. Single Mk-6 reentry vehicle. The W53 (9 Mt) nuclear warhead entered Phase 5 (FPU) in December 1962, the date the first warhead was produced by the Atomic Energy Commission.

13. Single Mk-5 reentry vehicle on the Minuteman IA. The W59 (1 Mt) nuclear warhead entered Phase 5 (FPU) in June 1962, the date the first warhead was produced by the Atomic Energy Commission.

14. The Minuteman IB used a single warhead Mk-11 reentry vehicle. The W56 (1.2 Mt) nuclear warhead entered Phase 5 (FPU) in March 1963, the date the first warhead was produced by the Atomic Energy Commission.

15. Single Mk-11C reentry vehicle. On 10 October 1967 the first Emergency Rocket Communications System (ERCS) was installed on ten Minuteman II ICBMs at Whiteman AFB, Missouri. ERCS, an emergency communications transmitter placed on the missile instead of a nuclear warhead, is still deployed on ten Minuteman II ICBMs at Whiteman.

16. Up to three warheads on the Mk-12 MIRV. The W62 (170 kt) nuclear warhead entered Phase 5 (FPU) in March 1970, the date the first warhead was produced by the Atomic Energy Commission.

17. Up to three warheads on the MK-12A MIRV. The W78 (335 kt) nuclear warhead entered Phase 5 (FPU) in August 1979, the date the first warhead was produced by the Department of Energy. Between December 1979 and February 1983 300 Minuteman III ICBMs were retrofitted with Mk-12A reentry vehicles with the W78 warhead.

18. Up to ten warheads on the MK-21 MIRV. The W87-0 (300 kt) nuclear warhead entered Phase 5 (FPU) in April 1986, the date the first warhead was produced by the Department of Energy.

last revised 11.25.02