F.E. Warren Air Force Base - Ready to Launch

[@jimwest6571]

Well done Wyoming PBS. I served at Ellsworth AFB, S.D. in the early 70's. SAC in Security Police (now Forces) and the MAF's were then known as LCF's, Launch Control Facilities, We had Security SAT teams that went out and responded to an alarm on an LF...(site). As a Buck Sgt 3 striper--now Senior Airman I then was promoted into a FSC position, Flight Security Controller or the go-between to the launch officers underground. It was a big responsibility. Its good to see they've upped the training responsibilities and changed verbage on positions but ultimately responsible for the security of nuclear weapon systems.

[@lzcontrol]

"Peace is Our Profession- War is Just a Hobby"

[@Doktracy]

I was stationed at FE Warren from 1989-1993 as a Missile Combat Crew Commander and instructor. I think I was the 2nd or 3rd woman in Minuteman 3 and I know that I was only the 2nd woman at FE Warren as missilier.

[@nenblom]

Thank you for this upload and thank you to all for your duty and service to our great country!!

[@shawnbaker5909]

Much love to these Great American heroes we trust them with our lives let's not forget their amazing families

[@BrokenMedic]

Could they have picked the worse lock on the codes? It can be decoded in seconds.

[@Christoph-sd3zi]

Because it's all fake.

[@wardaledillard8553]

This is the USAF why are they wearing. Army uniform?

[@NOLAgenX]

All the services have their own variation. They are practical.

[@scottmounger-noaafederal6620]

Great job to everyone interviewed! Thank you for your devotion to duty with such a critical tasking mission.

[@martindavis9930]

The USS WYOMING carries enough ICBM'S to take out a continent.

[@Christoph-sd3zi]

Nuclear weapons are fake so - no - it doesn't.

[@rajbanwait325]

MIRV

[@rajbanwait325]

Orbital Bombardment

[@adamwsaxe]

Very impressed by the professionalism of this young crew. And thankful the USAF allowed such intimate access. And yet I still growl whenever the 1st Lieutenant says "myself" instead of "I." Rest of his grammar is great ... I'm the son of English majors, so I had to pick up on it, lol. These guys and gals perform an under-sung mission. They deserve our thanks.

[@foxbodyblues6709]

I lived for a time in North Dakota and frequently passed by control centers and missile sites. When you pass by a missile site the thought that comes to mind for me is you are standing next to death.

[@neilruedlinger4851]

Unfortunately when there are whack jobs like Putin, threatening to use their nuclear weapons against NATO and the West, such facilities are necessary to provide a credible deterrent. When the Soviet Union broke apart back during the 1990's and Ukraine became an independent sovereign nation, the Ukrainian Government in a gesture of peace and good will, handed all of their nuclear warheads and weapons over to Russia. Later in an attempt to appease Putin, Ukraine refrained from continuing to negotiate for joining NATO. Now look at what's happened, Russia moved military units to "annex" Crimea in 2014, and then they launched an all out invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. Ukraine learned the hard way that no good deed goes unpunished. Do you think if Ukraine had elected to keep control over their own nuclear deterrent force, that Putin would've dared to annex Crimea or invade Ukraine?

[@jackkreighbaum783]

Wow, look so young. Such a long way from when I served there in the late 1970s.

[@andrewbowlgarte4738]

have to get them young out of conditioning school , before they can think for themselves !

[@DeWayneDrumgole]

i'm surprised they showed their faces and their real names.

[@stephenmolohosky1198]

Domestic Threats are bascally rare. The openness and the human side is good for all to see.

[@littledudefromacrossthestr5755]

Why?

[@gozorak]

the Chicken Maryland served up in the FE Warren LCF kitchens was primo back in the day (1988-1991). As a PMT'er nothing beat Chicken Maryland, corn, and dinner rolls after a long day at a missile site

[@patton303]

I’m gonna say there’s an XBox in there somewhere.

[@billpugh58]

Try hacking that system! No internet, no Windows or modern IOS!

[@adamwsaxe]

Yeah, lol. Although I think the ICBM LCCs are being linked to STRATCOM via more modern digital systems.

[@ricksvenson8705]

Things have changed, I was station there in 1966-67 it Was a SAC base. I was in the Trans-portion squadron. Then I was sent to Ramey AFB 1968-69

[@ScrotusXL]

Pay attention Putin!

[@vernonjohnsonjr7389]

That was my dads first duty station in the mid 50s he was a Firefighter Civil Engineering ARFF told me many great stories about the base and when they was installing missiles nearby

[@timdodd3897]

Bring back SAC.

[@Ryan_Christopher]

It's been back for years now. www.afgsc.af.mil/ The missiles are no longer under Space Command.

[@gregorytoddsmith9744]

Thank you Wyoming PBS for bringing us into the world of those that serve our country in this important role. Thank you to all that serve our country in this mission. We are proud of you!! Unfortunately threat deterrence continues to be a critical method in securing that peace. The men and women in the many faceted roles of this mission are a critical element. Thank you.

[@masterjedifunkolobstah4836]

I served in many capacities, as a crew member, ACP, instructor (records, scenarios, curriculum) and codes controller, while in the 320th Missile Squadron and 90th Operations Support Squadron at FE Warren AFB from February 2003 to July 2008. After that I also proudly served at the schoolhouse, 392d Training Squadron, in Vandenberg AFB until 2011.

[@jessewynn820]

Neat 🙄

[@cnosprandt5155]

Thank you for your service!

[@scootertooter6874]

A codes toad...thanks for your service! ("Seals, keys, LVPs, CSD(G)s...")

[@allandavis8201]

One thing I don’t understand is why it takes two capsules to launch 🚀 a missile, surely having two teams needing to turn all 4 keys at the same time is enormously hard to achieve and it would take only one person to refuse to turn their key and that is at least one missile that would just be another hugely expensive piece of scrap metal, or am I missing something? I think that the launch controls are a bit to robust, the principle is fine but could potentially lead to problems if they ever needed to launch.

[@petero.7487]

Actually, it isn't a real problem: Firstly, if a lawful order to launch came in, everybody would be turning their keys and the system would be flooded with launch-commands. Secondly, in the event that only one crew turned their keys and all the other launch-facilities got taken out, it'd still launch technically: There would be a time-delay (the exact number I don't know -- it's totally classified -- and should be). Normally, this would be easily inhibited by another crew if this was an unauthorized launch, but in the event the enemy took out every single launch facility but one, it'd still launch after the delay ran out.

[@scootertooter6874]

Not difficult at all-- only requires two of five two-person crews to consent to a launch-- AFTER receipt and insertion of valid enable codes that crewmembers do not have access to until receipt of a valid, authentic Emergency Action Message (EAM). These safeguards are in fact a critical aspect of two concepts known as "Nuclear Surety" and "Weapon System Safety Rules (WSSRs)". In the event that all except one capsule is destroyed, the on duty Airborne Command Post can provide the other launch vote. It's a good system.

[@annieladysmith]

The launch bunker looks a lot like the ISS. LOL.

[@englundus]

I'm sure for some of the guys out there for days on end, if their houses are nut houses, it is probably a relief to be out there.

[@andytuesday500]

God bless our Troops ❤️🙏

[@robertbenoit5374]

A huge burden waiting for an order that they hope will never come. I thank them for their devotion to duty and for protecting our great nation.

[@frederickdelacruz6818]

If missileers system is old and those Minuteman are the most dangerous weapon in the world then a lot of security,maintenance and execution is being implemented in the base inorder to launched a missile then the deterrence or the system is absolete therefore it should be modernize.

[@neilruedlinger4851]

One big advantage of the missile control systems being old is they're almost impossible to hack remotely.

[@F5Storm1]

Cool but I think nuclear weapons need abolished

[@jamesbarnard9710]

I agree...just after you get Putin, Xi, Kim and the ayatollahs to also agree, simultaneously! Meantime, the word is "strategic deterrance"!

[@gilbertfalling493]

Can someone fix the audio? Or is that vintage?

[@WyomingPBS]

We're trying to fix the audio distortion. You can turn on the captioning to help understand what is being said.

[@Chu3505]

It is great that they also have a responded and recovered Nukes missiles securities forces too,but really how the heck any enemies forces going to able to steal a 100ft tall Nuke missile and transportation that 100ft tall Nuke missile out of that launch site.

[@billpugh58]

A warhead weighs 400 lbs and contains very dangerous and valuable radioactive materials.

[@neilruedlinger4851]

There are two old proverbs: 1. If it isn't tied down, locked up, nailed down or secured in some way, some a**hole will try to get away with stealing it; 2. Where there's a will, there's a way.

[@alexprokhorov407]

Wyoming : we are the largest bullseye in the world.

[@waterpeter8264]

V. Ery good. Happy World war 3

[@lorenzogcapra]

Prehistoric technology! We should all be scared about this

[@NOLAgenX]

Scared of reliable tech and equipment that cannot be hacked from the outside. Does that summarize your fallacious argument?