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Archie to SAM: A Short Operational History of Ground-Based Air ...

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BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE<br />

developing, testing, and deploying rapid reload launchers and<br />

multiple, independently guided warheads and testing <strong>of</strong> ABMs<br />

against strategic missiles. The treaty could be revoked by giving<br />

six months’ notice. In 1974, the two countries amended the<br />

treaty by reducing the permitted sites for each country from two<br />

<strong>to</strong> one. The Soviets chose <strong>to</strong> defend Moscow, the United States <strong>to</strong><br />

continue <strong>to</strong> work on its Grand Forks, North Dakota, site. 42<br />

The life <strong>of</strong> the US system was brief. The <strong>Air</strong> Force declared<br />

the installation at Grand Forks operational in September 1975<br />

(fig. 85). By this time, the military decided that the system was<br />

expensive and <strong>of</strong> dubious value. Therefore, the next February,<br />

the JCS ordered the site deactivated, leaving the United States<br />

without an active ABM system. Safeguard cost the United States<br />

about $6 billion. Meanwhile, the Soviets continued <strong>to</strong> operate<br />

their one system in the Moscow area. 43<br />

Figure 85. US ABM site at Grand Forks, North Dakota. The 16 round objects<br />

in the foreground are Sprint silos, the longish objects behind<br />

them are the Spartan silos, and the pyramid-shaped structure <strong>to</strong> the rear<br />

is the missile site radar. (Reprinted from http://www.paineless.id.au/<br />

missile/Hsafeguard.html.)<br />

195

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