ABOUT THIS BOOK

In Minuteman: A Technical History of the Missile That Defined American Nuclear Warfare, David K. Stumpf demystifies the intercontinental ballistic missile program that was conceived at the end of the Eisenhower administration as a key component of the US nuclear strategy of massive retaliation. Although its nuclear warhead may have lacked power relative to that of the Titan II, the Minuteman more than made up for this in terms of numbers and readiness to launch—making it the ultimate ICBM.

Minuteman offers a fascinating look at the technological breakthroughs necessary to field this weapon system that has served as a powerful component of the strategic nuclear triad for more than half a century. With exacting detail, Stumpf examines the construction of launch and launch control facilities; innovations in solid propellant, lightweight inertial guidance systems, and lightweight reentry vehicle development; and key flight tests and operational flight programs—all while situating the Minuteman program in the context of world events. In doing so, the author reveals how the historic missile has adapted to changing defense strategies—from counterforce to mutually assured destruction to sufficiency.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

David K. Stumpf is a retired research scientist at the University of Arizona and the author of Titan II: A History of a Cold War Missile Program, Regulus: The Forgotten Weapon, and Growler and Grayback: Two of a Kind.

REVIEWS

“Minuteman is an exceptionally important contribution to the historiography of air power and the strategic triad . . . a most valuable study and a good story, well told.”

—Roger D. Launius, author of Reaching for the Moon: A Short History of the Space Race

“An important addition to the literature on the history of US strategic missiles, Minuteman will be of interest to libraries, educational institutions, engineers, and historians interested in missiles, nuclear weapons, and the Cold War.”

—Christopher John Gainor, author of The Bomb and America’s Missile Age

"The Minuteman was one of the most important weapons of the nuclear age, and the subject of countless arguments and debates in the White House, the Pentagon, and Congress during the Cold War. David K. Stumpf's comprehensive and engaging history explores all aspects of this weapons system, from its creation and testing to deployment to its partial elimination during arms-control discussions. Even today, buried throughout the American Midwest, hundreds of Minuteman missiles with horrible destructive power sit at the ready, hopefully to never be used."

—Dwayne Day, policy analyst and space historian

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Contents

List of Figures

List of Tables

Air Force Acronyms

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

1. The Air Force and Strategic Missiles

2. Evolution of the Minuteman Force Levels

3. Minuteman in Context

4. Solid Propellant Comes of Age

5. From Polaris Came Minuteman

6. Siting and Facility Design

7. Construction and Activation

8. Motors and Airframe

9. Mark 5 and 11 Series Reentry Vehicles

10. Guidance and Control

11. Targeting Minuteman

12. Research and Development Flight Programs

13. Operational Flight and Evaluation Programs

14. Operational Base Missile Test Programs

15. Aspects of Command and Control

16. Keeping Pace: Modernization and Upgrades

17. Force Reduction

Epilogue

Appendix A: Construction, Acceptance, and Activation Summaries

Appendix B: Flight Test Programs

Appendix C: Operational Flight Test and Evaluation Programs

Appendix D: Airborne Launch Control Center Panels

Notes

Bibliography

Index

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