"Relic of the Cold War": The US remembered the program to protect against Soviet ICBMs Safeguard

During the confrontation with the Soviet Union, the United States attempted to create a Safeguard anti-missile system, which was supposed to protect America from Soviet nuclear missiles. Only the bizarre pyramid in North Dakota now reminds of the construction of this system. Writes about this The National Interest (USA).

The rapid build-up of the nuclear arsenals of the two geopolitical adversaries in the 1960s led to the creation of various kinds of anti-missile systems in the United States and the USSR. One such project was the Stanley R. Mikkelsen Defense Complex in Grand Forks, North Dakota, built as part of the Safeguard program.

The new missile defense program involved the construction of three Safeguard bases at Whiteman AFB in Missouri, Malmstrom AFB in Montana and Grand Forks in North Dakota. Each base was to be equipped with two types of interceptor missiles.

It was assumed that in the event of an attack by the USSR on the United States with ICBMs with nuclear warheads, the interception of Russian missiles at high altitude would be carried out by LIM-49 Spartan missiles, and the second line would be Sprint missiles. Their main task is to cover the launchers of American ICBMs from strike for a guaranteed retaliatory strike. The defense of the entire territory of the United States was deemed impractical.

As part of the program, the United States was able to build just one complex in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The base was equipped with 30 LIM-49 Spartan missiles and 70 Sprint missiles, as well as MSR (Missile Site Radar) radar for tracking and tracking missiles. This radar was housed in a pyramid-like structure.

The complex went on alert in 1975 and worked for only one day, after which it was closed within the framework of the ABM Treaty signed in 1972.

Currently, in North Dakota, you can admire the "relic of the Cold War" - all that remains of the Safeguard program.

Comments

[rocket757]

Only a bizarre pyramid in North Dakota now reminds of the construction of this system.

We have similar ones and not one! If the marked one had not ... betrayed, there would have been even more.

[xorek]

Quote: rocket757

Only a bizarre pyramid in North Dakota now reminds of the construction of this system.

We have similar ones and not one! If the marked one had not ... betrayed, there would have been even more.

That's right. Victor built such and the coverage was huge, although like 10 years ago something similar and more powerful was built (over the horizon or something like that) in different regions of Russia.

[FIR FIR]

In Orsk, Barnaul, Yeniseisk, three radars were built, which made it possible to restore a single radar field of antimissile defense.

[rocket757]

Well, yes, I had to restore, once destroyed ... that's right. Peaceful sky overhead only when you control it!

[Doliva63]

Quote: FIR FIR

In Orsk, Barnaul, Yeniseisk, three radars were built, which made it possible to restore a single radar field of antimissile defense.

Are you sure that over-the-horizon radars can issue target designation to missile defense missiles?

[rocket757]

Now there are, already, others ... it is not the form that is important, but the content !!!
I just remembered ... not even youth, I was older, I had to work in such "pyramids".

[Starover_Z]

Quote: rocket757

Only a bizarre pyramid in North Dakota now reminds of the construction of this system.

We have similar ones and not one! If the marked one had not ... betrayed, there would have been even more.

And they also have more than one "Pyramid". I found a foreign site where it is written about it and there are photos, but not enough:
https://missilethreat.csis.org/sensors-command-control/

[rocket757]

At the time, this was considered the optimal design solution.
Their country is large, it is clear that more than one was required.

[Olgovich]

"now only resembles a bizarre pyramid in North Dakota."

The pyramid is straight Masonic, with a dollar bill, there is even an eye.

"Coincidence? I don't think so ...."

The eye, apparently, stops the missiles ..

[Starover_Z]

Quote: Olgovich

"now only resembles a bizarre pyramid in North Dakota."

The pyramid is straight Masonic, with a dollar bill, there is even an eye.

"Coincidence? I don't think so ...."

The eye, apparently, stops the missiles ..

And they also know how to smash the abandoned, no worse than ours!
I decided to look for this structure and found the site of this structure with photos:
https://www.unfamiliar.land/the-stanley-r-mickelsen-safeguard-complex/
PS And how it was built - https://www.bldgblog.com/2014/06/a-pyramid-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-built-to-track-the-end-of-the-world/
Interesting to see. You can continue to find and read, but who wants to.

[2 Level Advisor]

yes, it seems not particularly crushed, everything is in place, although of course it is not served, but I think you can restore it if you want ..

[engineer74]

The 1972 treaty just allowed one area of ​​a closed missile defense system, so it has nothing to do with the closure of the facility in Grand Fox.
Now the "partners" have buried the contract. So more pyramids, "good and different"!
So that distant descendants endure their brains, as we do with the Egyptians ..

[voyaka uh]

Under the ABM Treaty, the USSR covered Moscow, and the United States covered one of the areas for the deployment of ICBMs.
In those days, there were only missile defense missiles, intercepting warheads on descent over the target.

[parathyron]

It turns out by the dates that they wanted to cheat again, but something didn't work out. In 1972, the contract, and in 1975 they launch such a thing. But they are caught red-handed and forced to close them right there.

[ccsr]

Quote: parathyron

In 1972, the contract, and in 1975 they launch such a thing. But they are caught red-handed and forced to close them right there.

It was not so, because this system began to be created long before 1972, but at the time of signing it was not ready and could not get into the contract. And then when they finished it, they decided to just check in order to pay for the entire system to the contractor, and according to the Agreement, she was removed from duty so as not to violate it.
There was no point in "catching them red-handed" - there was such radiation that it was impossible to hide it from reconnaissance aircraft and satellites.
Now other times have come, they seem to understand that something needs to be done, so they began to fidget.

[Pavel57]

Quote: engineer74

Now the "partners" have buried the contract. So more pyramids, "good and different"!

It is expensive to build pyramids. Descendants in a thousand years will be surprised - why, or they will go under the tombs.

[Roman070280]

The complex went on alert in 1975 and worked for only one day, after which it was closed within the framework of the ABM Treaty signed in 1972.

Funny ..))

[Real Pilot]

Quote: Pavel57

Quote: engineer74

Now the "partners" have buried the contract. So more pyramids, "good and different"!

It is expensive to build pyramids. Descendants in a thousand years will be surprised - why, or they will go under the tombs.

Tombs ...
And they already have a candidate for pharaohs - "the last defender of the free world"! Just soon he will have to ...
Imagine how lucky old Joe could be, just like Lenin! And there will be a pyramid all in the colors of the Democratic Party, and in the "eyes" there will be portraits ...

[Old26]

Quote: rocket757

We have similar ones and not one!

Now it's only a couple. In Pechora, at RO-30 (Daryal radar) and in Belarus (Volga radar). Both will be dismantled in the next few years.

Quote: engineer74

The 1972 treaty just allowed one area of ​​a closed missile defense system, so it has nothing to do with the closure of the facility in Grand Fox.
Now the "partners" have buried the contract. So more pyramids, "good and different"!
So that distant descendants endure their brains, as we do with the Egyptians ..

In fact, the 1972 ABM Treaty allowed TWO missile defense area. One - covering the ICBM base, the second - the capital. Under the 1974 Protocol, the number of missile defense areas was reduced to one. The United States chose the Grand Forks base (321st Minuteman missile wing). We are Moscow.
ABM base them. Stanley Mikelsen - the Grand Forks covering missile base was directly related to the Safeguard system (the Safeguard system itself, when fully deployed, was supposed to cover three missile bases and at least the capital.

Quote: parathyron

It turns out by the dates that they wanted to cheat again, but something didn't work out. In 1972, the contract, and in 1975 they launch such a thing. But they are caught red-handed and forced to close them right there.

Actually, work on the deployment of the "Safeguard" missile defense system began in 1968. As a result of the conclusion of the treaty, work was stopped at the ABM bases in the area of ​​the Malmstrom and Whitman missile launchers. Work on the establishment of a base in the area of ​​the Grand Forks missile base and in the vicinity of the United States continued. After the signing of the Protocol, work at the facility in the Washington area was terminated

Quote: ccsr

Quote: parathyron

In 1972, the contract, and in 1975 they launch such a thing. But they are caught red-handed and forced to close them right there.

It was not so, because this system began to be created long before 1972, but at the time of signing it was not ready and could not get into the contract. And then when they finished it, they decided to just check in order to pay for the entire system to the contractor, and according to the Agreement, she was removed from duty so as not to violate it.
There was no point in "catching them red-handed" - there was such radiation that it was impossible to hide it from reconnaissance aircraft and satellites.
Now other times have come, they seem to understand that something needs to be done, so they began to fidget.

Indeed, it was not ready by the time the Treaty was signed, but nevertheless it got into the Treaty, just like our system, which was deployed around Moscow by almost 20% of the total missile defense system. Then we completed the construction, as did the Americans.
The base was mothballed in 1976, and not after one day, as in the article (after 5 months) in connection with a change in the doctrine of the protection of nuclear weapons