• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

	Director, Operational Test & Evaluation
	FY98 Annual Report

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION & CONTRIBUTION TO JOINT VISION 2010

Minuteman III is an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) deployed in hardened silos. Minuteman III and Peacekeeper together form one leg of the Strategic Triad that provides strategic nuclear deterrence for the United States. Operational basing support for Minuteman III includes missile alert facilities, hardened launch facilities, and underground launch control centers. Each launch control center controls ten hardened launch facilities and is manned by a two-person combat crew on 24-hour alert. Each unmanned hardened launch facility, located several miles away from its launch control center, contains one missile. Minuteman III bases are currently located at F. E. Warren AFB, WY; Minot AFB and Grand Forks AFB, ND; and Malmstrom AFB, MT.

As Joint Vision 2010 looks to the future of America's armed forces, it also provides a vision for America's continuing strategic requirement. As an important component of the Strategic Triad, Minuteman III contributes directly to precision engagement with its flexibility to retarget these weapons when required.

Peacekeeper is to be taken out of service when START II enters into force. At that time, 500 Minuteman III missiles will be all that remains of the U.S. land-based ICBM force. The Air Force has embarked upon several life-extension programs aimed at keeping Minuteman III viable well beyond the turn of the century. These programs include: (1) replacement of aging components of the guidance system; (2) remanufacture of the solid-propellant rocket motors; (3) replacement of standby power systems; (4) repair of launch facilities; and (5) installation of updated command, control, and communications equipment.

The Guidance Replacement Program will replace the guidance computer, signal converters, and power distribution components while retaining the current Minuteman III inertial measurement unit. The Guidance Replacement Program is expected to preserve current Minuteman III accuracy and reliability, while enhancing supportability. This program is needed to prevent a projected decline in reliability due to aging electronic components and unavailable replacement parts.

The Propulsion Replacement Program will replace the aging solid propellant in the three stages of the Minuteman III booster, while refilling the existing motor cases. During the initial phase of the program (Technology Insertion), changes will be made to the existing motor designs and processes to replace unavailable or environmentally unacceptable materials, components, and processes; and to correct known hardware problems. The Propulsion Replacement Program is required to preserve current Minuteman III effectiveness and suitability characteristics.

AFOTEC has conducted an early OA in both replacement programs, and has collected information during laboratory hardware-in-the-loop testing. The early OAs are primarily audits to see that: (1) documentation is complete and consistent; (2) design efforts are linked to operational requirements; (3) the system has good prospects of being ready for OT when scheduled; and (4) T&E resources are in place. The results of both early OAs were satisfactory.

The Guidance Replacement Program combined testing activities include weapon-system integration testing at the Strategic Missile Integration Complex (SMIC) at Hill AFB, Pathfinder testing at Vandenberg AFB, nuclear hardness testing at Little Mountain, UT, and software maturity evaluations at various locations. The SMIC testing progressed from early functionality tests to regression testing of the evolving Guidance Replacement Program operational software. The Pathfinder testing placed the Guidance Replacement Program guidance set atop an inert missile in a Vandenberg launch complex and exercised the functions normally expected of a missile in alert posture. The Guidance Replacement Program IOT&E began in late May 1998. The first of two Guidance Replacement Program test flights was conducted on June 24, 1998. The second flight was conducted on September 16, 1998. The Guidance Replacement Program IOT&E final report is due in March 1999, with the Milestone III decision currently scheduled for June 1999.

A critical design review for the Propulsion Replacement Program was held in June 1998. Data from static firings of Change Verification Motors (CVM) supported the CDR and the combined DT/OT program. The program accomplished 6-Stage I CVM firings, 13-Stage II CVM firings, and 9-Stage III CVM firings. Future static firings will test Qualification Motors. Propulsion Replacement Program IOT&E is scheduled from October 1999-April 2000. Two test flights in support of Propulsion Replacement Program IOT&E are planned for November 1999 and February 2000.

The Minuteman III Guidance Replacement Program has an approved TEMP and IOT&E Plan and is being tested in accordance with the TEMP. The current TEMP for the Propulsion Replacement Program, which was added to the DOT&E oversight list, has been approved by the Air Force but not submitted to OSD for approval.

On June 24,1998, Integration Demonstration Flight 1 with the Guidance Replacement Program electronics was launched from Vandenberg AFB. This is the first of the two launches that will support a full-rate production decision for the Guidance Replacement Program. Integrated Demonstrated Flight 1 flight parameters were consistent with prior observed values and with the 1993 Weapon System Evaluation Report requirement.

Two test flights will be conducted for both the Guidance Replacement Program and the Propulsion Replacement Program. With limited data samples available from end-to-end flight-testing, Minuteman III OT efforts are being complemented by simulation and combined DT/OT opportunities to a significant extent. DOT&E monitored AFOTEC's accreditation of the Minuteman III Engineering Estimates Model used to evaluate the Key Performance Parameter for accuracy and found it to be suitable for this evaluation.

Ground-based DT/OT is an important means to evaluate these and other Key Performance Parameters: Reliability (countdown and flight), Reaction Time, and Availability. For the Guidance Replacement Program, the principal DT/OT sources are the Guidance and Control Laboratory at Hill AFB and the Pathfinder exercise at Vandenberg AFB. DOTE observed testing at both locations and found these facilities to be satisfactory for evaluation of the Minuteman III Operational Ground Program.

The combined ground tests, flight tests, and modeling and simulation are adequate to address all DT/OT requirements.

The Minuteman III system is not totally Y2K compliant. Currently all operational and flight software is compliant, but some of the support systems will not be compliant until December 1998.