[Illustration: 71. Minuteman III launch from Vandenberg AFB,
California.]
The Minuteman III is the standard U.S. land-based intercontinental
ballistic missile. This three-stage solid-propellant missile is launched
from underground silos that are 24.4 meters (80 feet) deep and 3.7
meters (12 feet) in diameter. These missiles can be launched either from
underground control centers or by an airborne launch control center
installed in KC-135 aircraft.
Minuteman III was first test-fired on August 16, 1968, and has since
replaced earlier Minuteman series ICBMs in the operational system. This
missile was designed by Boeing for the Air Force Strategic Air Command.
This missile is from the US. Air Force and Boeing Aerospace Corporation.