Titan II - Originally designated the SM-68B, WS-107B, later designated the LGM-25C. Development approved in October 1959, a large, two stage hypergolic fueled missile. Hypergolic fuels are stored in the missile and ignite on contact, providing immediate response. First intercontinental ballistic missile designed to be launched directly from the silo. Inertial guidance and carry a single Mark 6 Reentry Vehicle with a W-53, 9 megaton warhead. 108 ft long, 10 ft diameter, weight 350,000 pounds, with first stage thrust of 43,000 pounds, range of 9,000 nautical miles. Deployed - Three operational bases, each with two squadrons with nine missiles each, and test facilities at Vandenberg AFB, California. Deactivated - In the 1980s. One complex in Green , Valley, Arizona, is now the Titan Missile Museum. First Flights 16 March 1962 - First launch from Cape Canaveral, successful 6 February 1963 - - First launch from Cape Canaveral by an all Air Force crew, Successful. 28 April 1963 - First successful launch from Vandenberg AFB from silo. |
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| Basing - 54 Titan II silos in three missile wings for a total of 6 operations squadrons, each with 9 missiles and 9 launch complexes. The missiles in each squadron were scattered over several hundred square miles, with the launch control center (LCC) connected to the missile silo by a tunnel and blast doors. 308 SMW, Little Rock AFB, Arkansas. 381 SMW, McConnell AFB, Kansas 390 SMW, Davis Monthan AFB, Arizona. See Details on all three Wings Here Construction - Construction of 54 launch complexes at three bases was in progress at the same time as construction on the later Atlas and Titan I sites, as well as the first Minuteman sites. Construction began on the first site at Davis Monthan AFB, AZ, began 6 December 1960 and the final site at was completed at Little Rock AFB, AR, on 31 December 1963. |
Titan II Maintenance - The responsibility of the Deputy Commander for Maintenance (callled the DCM), equivalent to today’s maintenane group commander. The DCM has one maintenance squadron and several maintenance staff agencies, including maintenance administration, training, quality control, maintenance control and others. Missile Maintenance Squadron - (MIMS) Each Titan II wing had a maintenance squadron under the DCM, made up of all the specialists and techcians in shops and sections relating to specific mssile sstems and functions, such as missile handling, prpopulision, propellant transfer, guidance, airframe, pneudraulics, ordnance, environmental systems, power production and others. There was an enlisted pad chief assigned to each missile complex. Maintenance teams were dispatched from the main support base by job control to accomplish minor and major maintenance tasks. Some maintenance tasks were performed by personnel in other base units, including communications and civil engineering. Both of these organizations had missile system specialists, such as those specifically trained on missile communications equipment The reentry vehicle teams were, in some cases, part of the missile wing in a reentry vehicle section or part of a Munitions Maintenance Squadron when a bomb wing was also on the same base. |
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