50 Years Later: Safeguard in North Dakota

On April 1, 1975, the Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex attains its IOC, or initial operational capability.

Testing on the Data Processing System and radars had been ongoing with an equipment readiness date of October 1, 1974. Under Operation Green Mittens, Sprint and Spartan missiles were undergoing installation at the Missile Site Radar (MSR) site as well as the Remote Sprint Launcher (RSL) sites, including the installation of their nuclear warheads. On April 1, the United States for the first time gained an operational nuclear anti-ballistic missile (ABM) system when 28 Sprints and 8 Spartans went on ready status.

Popular myth surrounding the North Dakota ABM system was that it only operated for a single day before closing down. In reality, the site possessed an operational capability in shooting down incoming Soviet or Chinese intercontinental or submarine-launched ballistic missiles (ICBMs and SLBMs) between April 1, 1975 and February 10, 1976. The 315 day operation was still very short when compared with the long development time and expense of the system.

The Safeguard system carried a primary purpose of defending American ICBM fields, with only the Grand Forks defense site ever becoming operational. The thought was that a missile field that could be reasonably defended against a surprise first strike strengthened nuclear deterrence. However the concept was a controversial one, with some critics considering ABM an expensive and unnecessary extension of the nuclear arms race.

While the Soviet Union retained and later upgraded an ABM defense of the Moscow region, the United States stepped away from the Safeguard program in February 1976. Safeguard operations peaked between October 1, 1975 and February 10, 1976 with 70 Sprint and 30 Spartan missiles ready for use under international treaty, however the system could be overwhelmed with a saturation attack of more ICBMs and SLBMs (especially those armed with multiple warheads). The same held true however for the Moscow defense that utilized a far less advanced system, an area likely targeted with the advanced multiple-warhead and ABM countermeasure-equipped Minuteman III.

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