Comment: Having been there in SAC from 1968 to 1973 this is what happened. Seeing a Sentinel system being planned for is watching history repeat itself in a new yet undeclared Cold War with higher risks in a world in far more uncertainty.
Air Force Systems Command was the buying activity for all of this and a hand off happened when care of the system was transferred to Air Force Logistic Command with its Air Logistics Centers. This was called PMRT -- Program Management Responsibility Transfer. This was different than transfer to the active duty organization, in this case, SAC. It takes a buying activity following the difficult procurement procedures to buy upgrades to fielded systems. In my day, for missiles, major modifications and brand new systems were not done by ALCs -- these went to SAMSO.
For aircraft WP AFB had ASD, Aeronautical Systems Division. When I was loaned out to B-1B we had a prime contractor and if memory serves me, four major subcontractors and in excess of 3,000 minor subcontractors and vendors. This was to get a new aircraft and shows the enormity of Program Management. This was accomplished by the SPO -- System Program Office a bee hive of activity watching and guiding and making decisions and doing reviews and approvals and following all the rules and laws involved.
At Wright-Patterson AFB my mentor in my first buying activity was a highly experienced contracting officer just come in from SAMSO with story after story of the development and fielding of Minuteman filling in that story for me when he found out where I had just served at Grand Forks. This base began with MMII and was fully MMIII when I left.
This document provided here shows the rich history and deep experience of Space and Missile Systems Office (SAMSO) and Ballistics Systems Division (BSD) in Program Management and buying and fielding of many missile systems. This experience is very hard to beat and a very tough act to follow. Many of these contracting folks were part of the Greatest Generation going through WWII.
https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA369676.pdf
Quote from page 5 of
SPACE AND MISSILE SYSTEMS ORGANIZATION: A CHRONOLOGY, 1954 - 1979:
BALLISTIC MISSILES: 1961-1979
The early 1960's were years of hectic activity for BSD. The division was heavily involved in missile site activation work throughout the United States and in deployment of Atlas, Titan, and Minuteman missiles to SAC. All 132 Atlas and 54 Titan I launchers were operational by the end of 1962 when the first flights of Minuteman I ICBMs were turned over to SAC's 341st Strategic Missile Wing (SMW) at Malmstrom AFB, Montana. In December 1963, the last of 54 Titan II launch complexes was transferred to SAC. As the Minuteman force grew toward its programmed strength of 1,000 hardened and dispersed missile launchers, the older, less efficient, and less economical Atlas and Titan I missiles were retired from the active inventory during 1964-1965. The Minuteman, together with the Titan II, came to form one part of the TRIAD of strategic deterrent forces that were maintained on day-to-day alert to counter any hostile nuclear attack on the U.S. or its allies. Even while the initial flights of Minuteman I missiles were being installed in their underground silos, BSD was finishing work on the improved Minuteman II missile that would be emplaced in the sixth, and last, wing at Grand Forks AFB, N.D. To enhance the effectiveness of the Minuteman force further, the Force Modernization Program was initiated in 1964 to replace all Minuteman I missiles with the Minuteman II. In May 1967, the Minuteman force reached its planned strength of 1,000 launchers when BSD turned over the last facilities of Squadron 20 to SAC. On 16 August 1968, a new chapter in the Minuteman story opened when the first Minuteman III flight test missile was launched from Cape Canaveral and completed its programmed 5,000 mile flight down the Eastern Test Range. Less than two years later, in June 1970, SAMSO's site alteration team turned over the first flight of 10 Minuteman III missiles to SAC's 91st Strategic Missile Wing at Minot AFB, N.D. The deployment of this initial wing was completed on 13 December 1971. The last of another 150 Minuteman Ills was emplaced at Grand Forks AFB, N.D., early in March 1973, and on 21 January 1975, the last of another 150 Minuteman III missiles was turned over to SAC at Frances E. Warren AFB, Wyoming. The last 50 Minuteman Ills were turned over at Squadron 20 at Malmstrom AFB, Montana, on 11 July 1975. This ended the nine year Force Modernization program aimed at updating the Minuteman force.
