A Missile Past Its Prime: Why the Minuteman III’s Endless Life Extension Forces a Rethink of America’s Nuclear Triad
The Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) has been on alert since 1970, despite being initially intended for a shorter lifespan.
With the Beatles breaking up and Richard Nixon in his first term as president, the missile system was a technological marvel of the Cold War, but it is now showing its age.
The Air Force is studying whether the Minuteman III can remain operational until 2050, due to delays and cost issues with its replacement, the LGM-35A Sentinel.
The Minuteman III—LGM-30G, in Pentagon jargon—was never meant to last this long.
This raises uncomfortable questions about the future of America's nuclear triad.
Author's summary: The aging Minuteman III missile system faces an uncertain future.