History (original) (raw)

... Anyway, here are the Air Force's BOMARC/TALOS deployment plans, another indication of how declining budgets forced major changes in air defense plans during the 50's. I got the material from several sources (hopefully still in my files), and included it in Nike Quick Look III, the predecessor to Rings of Supersonic Steel.

1952 - First ADC BOMARC deployment plan, 52 squadrons with up to 128 missiles each. After the USAF was directed to investigate ground-based TALOS, the plan was revised down to 40 BOMARC sites with 120 missiles each, and up to 53 TALOS sites. The planned BOMARC bases and operational dates were (date is IOC by Qtr/FY):

In Sept 56 HQUSAF said 40 squadron/4800 missiles was too much, at approx $15 billion; ADC said 40 squadrons was the absolute minimum. CONAD was directed to study, and came back with a Jan 57 proposal for 40 squadrons with 60 missiles each, using cheaper launchers (the Type I was huge, complex, and gawdawful expensive. I understand a couple are still standing on Santa Rosa Island). At the end of 1957, ADC requested funding for the first 14 sites. Jan 58, HQUSAF cut deployment to 31 sites; two with 56 missiles (two flights), and the others with 28 missiles. Sept 58, the USAF agreed to six sites with IM-99A, and subsequent ones with IM-99B. Nov 58, revised station list released:

Plus, two missile sites in Canada. HOWEVER, this was during the big Nike/BOMARC debate in Congress. Following the Jun 59 release of the Master Air Defense Plan, the Air Force was allowed 16 sites in ConUS, with two in Canada for the RCAF. The following were the 18 sites with 56 missiles each (1,008 total with spares), with IOC dates:

By this time initial site work had begun on the first 14 sites; with the changes, work was suspended at Ethan Allen and Truax. However, on 23 Mar 60, HQUSAF cut deployment of the IM-99B to seven sites of 28 missiles each. The following day, funding was cut from 421.5millionto421.5 million to 421.5millionto40 million, leaving ADC with eight sites, the two Canadian sites, and suspending work on the almost completed Paine AFB facility. Adair was suspended with the foundations and floors in for the missile shelters, and a few support buildings.

In summary, the original 49-site, 4,800-missile BOMARC system was ultimately fielded with 10 sites and about 400 missiles.

AF/TALOS - The USAF was assigned responsibility for development of a land-based variant of the TALOS missile system on 7 Jun 55, primarily for use as a point-defense missile system (which would allow them to decline Nike Ajax deployments around SAC bases). The Army had already taken a look at the missile and decided not to proceed, what with Ajax coming along...

An early USAF plan involved eight squadrons with four detachments each; consideration was given to deploying 53 squadrons. The first sites were selected in early 1956: Lockbourne AFB, Peoria, IL, Bunker Hill AFB and Kirksville AFS. This was revised to Offutt, Barksdale, March and Castle AFB's in Mar 56. However, as the funds had already been released for site studies and prep, the latter four sites were instead named sites five through eight.

In May 1956, ADC TALOS teams were ready to hit the road, but were held up while Congress and DOD argued over who was going to defend what bases with which missiles. On 26 Nov 56, SecDef Charles Wilson formally ordered the assignment of the point-defense mission to ARADCOM, killing the AF/TALOS program.

BTW, TALOS entered service with the USN in USS Galveston (CLG-3) in May 57. It was finally retired from active service in USS Oklahoma City (CLG-5) in Dec 79.

Other Nike - The two Nike defenses that were built, manned, but shut down before attaining operational status were at Walker AFB, NM (6/2d Artillery, 4/60-6/60) and Schilling AFB, KS (5/44th Artillery, 4/60-6/60). Site studies were performed at Mountain Home AFB, ID, with the battery locations designated MH-05 and MH-79, but the two sites were never constructed and no battalion was ever designated for assignment (to the best of my knowledge).

The only other site ever considered for Nike that I've run across to this point was Malmstrom AFB; it would've been truly unique, as ADC was doing its BOMARC plans for Malmstrom at the same time. BOMARC was cut back to the ast coast in 1960 and the JCS killed the Nike site studies on 18 May 60. Malmstrom, of course, did see initial construction under SENTINEL/SAFEGUARD about 10 years later.

Phew! Questions? MK.