Air Force Bases

Minuteman Missile Alert Facility

MAFs are located at each operational missile wing for command, control, and monitoring of the Minuteman LFs. The MAF consists of a buried and hardened LCC, an above-ground Launch Control Support Building (LCSB) at Wing I, and at Wings III, V, and I/Squadron 20, a buried and hardened Launch Control Equipment Building (LCEB) to house the cooling and generator systems. The command and control equipment is located in the LCC. Each LCC has primary control and responsibility for the 10 LFs within its flight. A squadron is comprised of five flights. Each of the five LCCs also has the ability to command and monitor all 50 LFs within the squadron.

When a valid emergency action message (EAM) directing launch is received at the LCC, the two Missile Combat Crew Members (MCCMs) take the required actions to configure the missiles for launch. This includes sending the enable codes to the missiles and transmitting the proper preparatory launch command (PLC). The PLC contains all information to execute the designated war plan. The officers then simultaneously turn launch switches in physically separated panels on the REACT console to start the automatic launch sequence. This begins a precisely sequenced series of automatic operations:
1) a final check of the system for combat readiness is made;
2) the launcher closure door is removed;
3) the upper umbilical is retracted from the missile;
4) the first stage rocket motor is ignited.

The entire launch sequence takes less than 60 seconds. Normally, two LCCs are required to "vote" to execute a launch. A single vote capability and the Airborne Launch Control Center (ALCC) provide back-up capability.

Missile Alert Facilities
Missile Alert Facilities