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Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex

Coordinates: 48°35′21.91″N 98°21′24.26″W / 48.5894194°N 98.3567389°W / 48.5894194; -98.3567389
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Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex
Near Langdon, North Dakota in United States
Safeguard Complex Missile Site Radar
Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex is located in North Dakota
Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex
Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex
Coordinates48°35′21.91″N 98°21′24.26″W / 48.5894194°N 98.3567389°W / 48.5894194; -98.3567389
Site history
BuiltOctober 1975 (October 1975)
In useApril 1976 (April 1976)
FateDecommissioned

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.[1] 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 $33.97 billion in 2023). 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 (equivalent to $703,389 in 2023).[2][3] In 2020, portions of the property including the Pyramid were sold to the Cavalier County Job Development Authority (CCJDA) for $462,900.[4] 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.[5] 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

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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 10 to 20 miles (16 to 32 km) from the Missile Site Radar. These were located at:

RSL 1 48°32′00.24″N 98°34′58.81″W / 48.5334000°N 98.5830028°W / 48.5334000; -98.5830028 (RSL 1)
RSL 2 48°50′58.03″N 98°25′55.84″W / 48.8494528°N 98.4321778°W / 48.8494528; -98.4321778 (RSL 2)
RSL 3 48°45′52.63″N 97°59′9.92″W / 48.7646194°N 97.9860889°W / 48.7646194; -97.9860889 (RSL 3)
RSL 4 48°28′30.91″N 98°15′23.02″W / 48.4752528°N 98.2563944°W / 48.4752528; -98.2563944 (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.[6]

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  • Aerial image of the MSR site
    Aerial image of the MSR site
  • Aerial image of Remote Sprint Launch Site No. 2.
    Aerial image of Remote Sprint Launch Site No. 2.
  • The PAR, now known as EPARCS, is still in operation
    The PAR, now known as EPARCS, is still in operation
  • The complex as of 2011
    The complex as of 2011

See also

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References

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  1. ^ James Walker, Lewis Bernstein (2003). Seize the High Ground: The Army in Space and Missile Defense. Defense Department, Army, History Office, Space and Missile Defense Command. ISBN 0-16-072308-6. On 21 June 1974, Army officially designated the SAFEGUARD tactical facilities in North Dakota the Stanley R. Mickelsen SAFEGUARD Complex
  2. ^ "Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Complex: A Strange Pyramid Built in the Middle of Nowhere". Weather.com.
  3. ^ Burba, Bryan. "Anti-Ballistic Missiles and the Hutterites". Peaceful Societies.
  4. ^ "Stanley R. Mickelsen Safeguard Missile Site Radar (MSR) Complex".
  5. ^ "Nekoma, North Dakota, pyramid played key role in U.S. Cold War strategy". Grand Forks Herald. 2022-09-06. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
  6. ^ Historic American Engineering Record HAER ND-9-B HAER ND-9-P
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