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US Launch of Minuteman III Ballistic Missile Fails, Cause Under Investigation
https://sputniknews.com ^ | 13:53 GMT 05.05.2021 | Staff

Posted on 05/06/2021 12:23:14 PM PDT by Red Badger

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To: Yo-Yo

Silly me, I tot it was the Cowboy’s Bronco Buster’s Saddle’s buckles came loose.


61 posted on 05/06/2021 1:51:46 PM PDT by Doctor DNA (Fine words butter no parsnips)
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To: Seruzawa

my exact words just reading the headline!!!

course China already must know..


62 posted on 05/06/2021 1:59:53 PM PDT by RebelTXRose (Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for us! PRAY THE ROSARY!)
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To: Yo-Yo; Red Badger

On my car I have to have the clutch pedal fully depressed...


63 posted on 05/06/2021 2:05:46 PM PDT by null and void (When you put bad people in charge expect bad things to happen, often in a spectacular and sudden way)
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To: minnesota_bound

SpaceX would have the ICBM drop the warhead on the enemy and then return to base to re-arm for the next strike.

Actually sounds pretty good to me.


64 posted on 05/06/2021 2:06:41 PM PDT by 2aProtectsTheRest (The media is banging the fear drum enough. Don't help them do it.)
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To: redgolum
Old missile, probably not maintained. Just like a lot of our nukes.

The Minuteman III ICBM started service in 1970 and has had several life extension programs performed. The system is old but we know the ins and outs of maintaining them and keeping them on Alert and that particular missile was maintained as well as all the others in the inventory.

There have been hundreds of these test and evaluation launches and there have been very few failures or launch holds. This one held during Terminal Countdown. It is an amazing thing that so few have ever failed or held, especially since these systems are aging and the launch successes are a testament to the dedication and vigilance of the entire operations and maintenance families.

During war planning we take into account the failure rates of our different weapon systems as we apply them to required target destruction and the launch success of the Minuteman III weapon system is better than our calculations.

This one hold is not yet a cause for alarm but our nation needs the new Ground Based Strategic Deterrent as soon as possible before these occurrences happen too frequently.

65 posted on 05/06/2021 2:07:07 PM PDT by OldMissileer (Atlas, Titan, Minuteman, PK. Winners of the Cold War)
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To: Lonesome in Massachussets
Back in the day, they used to delay launches to let Russian spy ships get on station. We *wanted* the Russians to see them.

I got to turn keys on a FOT&E launch and were were delayed by the Soviets. We had an early afternoon keyturn but held because the trawler was directly in the safety corridor and the Navy had to try to persuade them to move. While that was happening the Navy spotted a sub and spent hours getting it out of the safety zone.

We didn't launch until 0130L the next day.

66 posted on 05/06/2021 2:10:48 PM PDT by OldMissileer (Atlas, Titan, Minuteman, PK. Winners of the Cold War)
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To: Red Badger

Oh, the cause of this failure to launch is quite obvious:

Failure to adapt to climate change.

Nevermind about the fact that these missiles are 40-50 years old, poor maintenance, poor training, lack of spare parts...those things exist only in the imagination of white supremacists.


We need a new missile that can reliably (as in for the NEXT 50 years) hit targets within a CEP of 10 meters, with double or triple redundant guidance systems, fully hardened against EMP, lasers, etc. Let SpaceX design and build them, they’ll have the full fleet done in 3 years or less and it’ll be more reliable than anything we’ve ever built.


67 posted on 05/06/2021 2:16:48 PM PDT by Ancesthntr ("The right to buy weapons is the right to be free." A. E. van Vogt, “The Weapon Shops of Isher”)
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To: redgolum

Uninformed comment. Missiles are periodically pulled and test fired as part of an overall quality program. In fact, the analysis of this failure will be much more valuable than a routine successful launch would have been. Missiles are transported to Vandenberg because it would scare hell out of people driving along I-80 to see an ICBM suddenly leap out of a silo in Wyoming.


68 posted on 05/06/2021 2:25:53 PM PDT by bigbob
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To: G Larry

44 MMS Ellsworth AFB 80-83


69 posted on 05/06/2021 2:45:49 PM PDT by EQAndyBuzz (Keep the Faith. Everything happens for a reason.)
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To: SeeSharp

You assume the editors are competent.


70 posted on 05/06/2021 3:03:56 PM PDT by wgmalabama (Tag line for rent. )
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To: Red Badger

It thought it was a racist.


71 posted on 05/06/2021 3:08:38 PM PDT by If You Want It Fixed - Fix It ( )
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To: OldMissileer

One would think that missiles built in the 70’s before all the electronics really started impacting production on virtually everything would be better. I’d think an older missile would be less impacted by an enemy bomb blast or emp. I’m no rocket scientist just my 2 cents.


72 posted on 05/06/2021 3:28:49 PM PDT by TermLimits4All (Biden will never be my President. There’s only 1 option left and it won’t be pretty.)
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To: TermLimits4All
One would think that missiles built in the 70’s before all the electronics really started impacting production on virtually everything would be better.

The Minuteman was the first missile to use integrated circuits. EMP protection has been built in and if you think about it a missile that was built in the early 70s that, for an extremely high percentage, can hit well within its CEP all these decades later is "better." The USAF has done miracles keeping these birds not only on Alert but reliable.

73 posted on 05/06/2021 3:34:48 PM PDT by OldMissileer (Atlas, Titan, Minuteman, PK. Winners of the Cold War)
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To: dinodino
"Probably due to lack of diversity in the launch control center..."

That was my first thought too.

74 posted on 05/06/2021 4:24:56 PM PDT by blam
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To: dinodino; Red Badger; brownsfan

Hmmm, I’m sure it would have worked out fine if only they had the gals who were featured in the movie, Hidden Figures. NASA would have been a complete failure without them. /sarc


75 posted on 05/06/2021 7:22:04 PM PDT by Pining_4_TX (O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! Psalm 8:9)
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To: SkyDancer

Nope. Radio Shack...yes, for real.


76 posted on 05/06/2021 8:35:21 PM PDT by pfflier
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To: redgolum
Old missile, probably not maintained. Just like a lot of our nukes.

That is an absolute load of crap. They are maintained way better than you keep your car.

I did maintenance on them for 9 years while I was in the Air Force and they are incredibly reliable considering they are 1960's evolutionary technology. Many aspects are laughably old school but they are bulletproof like the old metal Tonka trucks of the era.

77 posted on 05/06/2021 8:40:29 PM PDT by pfflier
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To: OldMissileer

Bravo. I knew you would respond too. This old 394th puke proudly salutes you.


78 posted on 05/06/2021 8:47:49 PM PDT by pfflier
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To: Red Badger

Is it Chinese circuit boards, again?


79 posted on 05/07/2021 12:11:15 AM PDT by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: Red Badger

Ex-commander: Nukes on high alert are vulnerable to error
5/1/2015, 2:39:50 AM · by Olog-hai · 21 replies
Associated Press ^ | Apr. 30, 2015 3:36 AM EDT | Robert Burns
A former commander of U.S. nuclear forces is leading a call for taking U.S. and Russian nuclear missiles off high alert, arguing that keeping them less ready for prompt launch would reduce the risk of miscalculation in a crisis. It also could keep a possible cyberattack from starting a nuclear war, he said, although neither Washington nor Moscow appears interested in negotiating an agreement to end the practice of keeping nuclear missiles on high alert. Retired Gen. James Cartwright said in an interview that “de-alerting” nuclear arsenals could foil cyber intruders by reducing the chance of firing a weapon in...

[Isn’t Cartwright a Clinton fan?]

U.S. Air Force asks industry for proposals to replace nuclear missiles
7/30/2016, 2:03:39 PM · by BenLurkin · 33 replies
reuters.com ^ | 07/29/2016
The Air Force said in a statement it expected to award up to two contracts for a new ICBM weapons system, or ground-based strategic deterrent, sometime next summer or fall. It also expected to award up to two contracts in the same time frame for a new nuclear cruise missile, or long-range standoff weapon. Modernization of the U.S. nuclear force is expected to cost more than $350 billion over the next decade as the United States works to replace its aging systems, including bombs, nuclear bombers, missiles and submarines. Some analysts estimate the cost of modernization at $1 trillion over...


80 posted on 05/07/2021 12:13:28 AM PDT by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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