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Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex

{{Short description|Former military facilities in North Dakota, U.S.}}

{{Infobox military installation

|image=SRMSC MSR HAER ND-9-B.jpg

|caption=Safeguard Complex Missile Site Radar

|coordinates={{Coord|48|35|21.91|N|98|21|24.26|W|display=title,inline}}

|pushpin_map=North Dakota

|nearest_town=Langdon, North Dakota

|country=United States

|built={{Start date|1975|10}}

|used ={{End date|1976|04}}

|fate= Decommissioned

}}

The Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex (SRMSC) was a cluster of military facilities near Nekoma, North Dakota, that supported the United States Army's Safeguard anti-ballistic missile program.

{{cite book

|title=Seize the High Ground: The Army in Space and Missile Defense

|publisher=Defense Department, Army, History Office, Space and Missile Defense Command

|author=James Walker, Lewis Bernstein

|isbn=0-16-072308-6

|url=https://archive.org/details/seizehighgroundt00wash

|quote=On 21 June 1974, Army officially designated the SAFEGUARD tactical facilities in North Dakota the Stanley R. Mickelsen SAFEGUARD Complex

|year=2003

|url-access=registration

}} The complex provided launch and control for 30 LIM-49 Spartan anti-ballistic missiles, and 70 shorter-range Sprint anti-ballistic missiles.

The deployment area of the complex covered the Minuteman launchers of the 321st Strategic Missile Wing, based at Grand Forks Air Force Base, North Dakota. Under the terms of the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, the US was permitted to deploy a single ABM system protecting an area containing ICBM launchers. The total of 100 launchers and 100 missiles was the maximum permitted under the treaty.

The site achieved initial operating capability on 1 April 1975, and full operational capability on 1 October 1975 costing $6 billion (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|6|1975|r=2}} billion in {{Inflation/year|US}}). However, on 2 October 1975, the House of Representatives voted to decommission the project, after they deemed it ineffective. The complex was deactivated in April 1976, after only six months of full operational capacity. In December 2012, it was purchased by the Spring Creek Hutterite Colony of Forbes, North Dakota, at auction for $530,000 ({{Inflation|US|530000|2012|fmt=eq}}).{{cite web |url=https://weather.com/news/news/stanley-r-mickelsen-safeguard-complex-pyramid-build-middle-nowhere-20140420 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex: A Strange Pyramid Built in the Middle of Nowhere |website=Weather.com}}{{cite web |url=https://cas.uab.edu/peacefulsocieties/2013/07/11/anti-ballistic-missiles-and-the-hutterites/ |title=Anti-Ballistic Missiles and the Hutterites |first=Bryan |last=Burba |website=Peaceful Societies}} In 2020, portions of the property including the Pyramid were sold to the Cavalier County Job Development Authority (CCJDA) for $462,900.{{Cite web|url=https://www.coldwartourist.com/stanley-r-mickelsen-safeguard-complex|title = Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Missile Site Radar (MSR) Complex}} The CCJDA intends to build an interpretive historical center, restore the property, and sell or lease the pyramid to a datacenter or similar business. In July 2022, data center developer Bitzero Blockchain Inc. acquired the pyramid from the CCJDA to restore and renovate the complex and convert it into a data center, with a slated $500 million going into the project. Bitzero also plans to create an interpretive center for the complex.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-06 |title=Nekoma, North Dakota, pyramid played key role in U.S. Cold War strategy |url=https://www.grandforksherald.com/news/the-vault/nekoma-north-dakota-pyramid-played-key-role-in-u-s-cold-war-strategy |access-date=2023-02-17 |website=Grand Forks Herald |language=en}} The Hutterite colony retains ownership of the remaining property.

The site was named for Stanley R. Mickelsen, a former commanding general of the U.S. Army Air Defense Command.

Facilities

{{GeoGroup|section=Facilities}}

The complex was centered on the Missile Site Radar (MSR) site, near Nekoma, North Dakota, home of the Missile Site Radar, and 30 Spartan missiles and 16 shorter-range Sprints. All missiles were held in underground launch silos.

The remaining Sprint missiles were distributed at four Remote Sprint Launchers at distances of {{convert|10|to|20|miles}} from the Missile Site Radar. These were located at:

:RSL 1 {{coord|48|32|00.24|N|98|34|58.81|W|type:landmark|name=RSL 1}}

:RSL 2 {{coord|48|50|58.03|N|98|25|55.84|W|type:landmark|name=RSL 2}}

:RSL 3 {{coord|48|45|52.63|N|97|59|9.92|W|type:landmark|name=RSL 3}}

:RSL 4 {{coord|48|28|30.91|N|98|15|23.02|W|type:landmark|name=RSL 4}}

The Perimeter Acquisition Radar (PAR) was a separately sited phased array radar to detect incoming targets. The radar and site are currently in service as the Perimeter Acquisition Radar Characterization System (PARCS), located at Cavalier Air Force Station.

The MSR and PSR sites are listed in the Historic American Engineering Record, a Heritage Documentation Program.Historic American Engineering Record [https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/nd0046/ HAER ND-9-B] [https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/nd0078/ HAER ND-9-P]

Images gallery

File:Stanley R Mickelsen Safeguard complex aerial.jpg|Aerial image of the MSR site

File:Remote Sprint Launch Site No 2.jpg|Aerial image of Remote Sprint Launch Site No. 2.

File:Cavalierairforcestationparcs.jpg|The PAR, now known as EPARCS, is still in operation

File:Stanley mickelson safeguard complex 3.jpg|The complex as of 2011

See also

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{commons category}}

  • [http://srmsc.org/ srmsc.org] - unofficial site dedicated to the Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex
  • [https://www.google.com/maps/place/Nekoma,+ND+58355/@48.5888385,-98.3614292,879m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m2!3m1!1s0x52c36f6211524ad5:0x830edfe71d637f48!6m1!1e1] - Google Earth Image of Complex
  • Historic American Engineering Record documentation, all filed under Nekoma, Cavalier County, ND:
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9 |id=nd0044 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex |dwgs=3 |data=93 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-A |id=nd0045 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Limited Area Sentry Station |photos=1 |data=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-B |id=nd0046 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Missile Site Control Building |photos=30 |data=30 |cap=3 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-C |id=nd0047 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Universal Missile Building |photos=4 |data=2 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-D |id=nd0048 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Exclusion Area Sentry Station |photos=1 |data=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-E |id=nd0049 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Warhead Handling Building |photos=1 |data=2 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-F |id=nd0050 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Missile Launch Area |photos=13 |data=2 |cap=2 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-G |id=nd0051 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Fresh Waterpump House |photos=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-H |id=nd0052 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Installation Headquarters Building |photos=2 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-I |id=nd0053 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Area Engineer-Administration Building |photos=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-J |id=nd0054 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Industrial Building |photos=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-K |id=nd0055 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Family Housing Units |photos=2 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-L |id=nd0056 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Post Chapel |photos=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-M |id=nd0075 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Gymnasium |photos=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-N |id=nd0076 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Community Center |photos=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-O |id=nd0077 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Limited Area Sentry Station |photos=2 |data=2 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-P |id=nd0078 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Perimeter Acquisition Radar Building |photos=58 |data=29 |cap=5 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-Q |id=nd0079 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Utility Tunnel |photos=2 |data=2 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-R |id=nd0080 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Perimeter Acquisition Radar Power Plant |photos=13 |data=2 |cap=2 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-S |id=nd0081 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Cooling Tower |photos=1 |data=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-T |id=nd0082 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Remote Sprint Launch Site No. 1 |photos=2 |data=6 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-U |id=nd0083 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Limited Area Sentry Station |photos=3 |data=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-V |id=nd0084 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Remote Launch Operations Buildings |photos=1 |data=15 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-W |id=nd0085 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Exclusion Area Sentry Station |photos=1 |data=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-X |id=nd0086 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Remote Sprint Launch Site No. 2 |photos=3 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-Y |id=nd0087 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Limited Area Sentry Station |photos=1 |data=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-Z |id=nd0088 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Remote Launch Operations Building |photos=1 |data=15 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AA |id=nd0089 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Exclusion Area Sentry Station |photos=1 |data=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AB |id=nd0090 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Remote Sprint Launch Site No. 3 |photos=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AC |id=nd0091 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Limited Area Sentry Station |photos=1 |data=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AD |id=nd0092 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Remote Launch Operations Building |photos=9 |data=14 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AE |id=nd0093 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Exclusion Area Sentry Station |photos=2 |data=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AF |id=nd0094 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Remote Sprint Launch Site No. 4 |photos=2 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AG |id=nd0095 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Limited Area Sentry Station |photos=1 |data=2 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AH |id=nd0132 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Remote Launch Operations Building |photos=1 |data=15 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AI |id=nd0096 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Exclusion Area Sentry Station |photos=1 |data=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AJ |id=nd0097 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Resident Engineers Office Building |photos=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AK |id=nd0098 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Community Center |photos=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AL |id=nd0099 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Bachelor Officers' Quarters |photos=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AM |id=nd0100 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Storage Building |photos=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AN |id=nd0101 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Sentry Station |photos=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AO |id=nd0102 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Controlled Area Sentry Station |photos=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AP |id=nd0103 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Industrial Building |photos=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AQ |id=nd0104 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Fresh Water Pump House |photos=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AR |id=nd0105 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Fuel Oil Pump Station |photos=1 |data=2 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AS |id=nd0106 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Administrative Headquarters Building |photos=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AT |id=nd0107 |title=Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Polar Telephone Building |photos=1 |cap=1 |link=no}}
  • {{HAER |survey=ND-9-AU |id=nd0108 |title=Stanly R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex, Missile Site Radar Power Plant |photos=2 |cap=1 |link=no}}

Category:Military installations in North Dakota

Category:Cavalier County, North Dakota

Category:Historic American Engineering Record in North Dakota

Category:Anti-ballistic missiles of the United States