Titan I Strategic Missile System

 (1962-1965) - Cold War era United States Air Force (USAF) Strategic Titan I Missile system.

Titan I Missile System
The Titan I (SM-68A) was one of the United States' first strategic, intercontinental ballistic missiles designed to carry nuclear warheads. The Titan I was a 98-foot-long, two-stage missile, fueled by kerosene and liquid oxygen that carried a 4.5 megaton warhead and had a range of some 5,500 miles. The Titan I missiles were built by the Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Company in a plant outside Denver, Colorado.

The first Titan I missiles became operational in April 1962. During the Cuban missile crisis in October 1962, the available Titans were readied for launch as a deterrent. The Titan I's were phased out by 1965.

Each Titan I missile complex contained three underground Titan I missile silos with one missile in each silo. Each complex was managed by a Strategic Missile Squadron (SMS). The Launch silos were 160-feet deep and 40-feet in diameter connected by tunnels to a powerhouse, control center, and radio antennas. The missiles were raised after fueling into the launch position above ground by silo elevators. The launch sequence took about 15 minutes.


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See Also:
 * Defense Installations Portal

Sources:
 * The Military Standard - Titan I Missile System

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