Strategic Aerospace and Missile Wings

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Strategic Missile Wings (SMW) and Strategic Aerospace Wings (SAW) were the designations under the USAF Strategic Air Command for wings that maintained the nation's ICBMs and IRBMs medium and long range nuclear ballistic missiles. These included Atlas Es, Fs; Minuteman Is, IIs and IIIs; Titan Is and IIs; Snark and Thor.

When a Bomb Wing or Air Refueling Wing was reassigned the responsibility for a missile type, the designations were changed from Bomb Wing or Air Refueling Wing to Strategic Aerospace Wing. When the SAW lost the responsibility for the missile the organizational name reverted to the original.

1 SMWs by Location and Missile Type
2 SAWs by Location and Missile Type
3 Typical Missile Payload
4 External links
5 References

[edit] SMWs by Location and Missile Type

44th SMW - Ellsworth AFB, Rapid City, SD. - Titan I and Minuteman I and II. (Nov. 24, 1961 - May 31, 1992)
90th SMW - F.E. Warren AFB, Cheyenne, WY. - Minuteman I and III (1973 -1986) and Peacekeeper (1986-1992)
91st SMW - Minot AFB, Minot, SD. - Minuteman (Jun. 25. 1968 -)
308th SMW - Little Rock AFB, Little Rock, AR. - Titan II
321st SMW - Grand Forks AFB, Grand Forks, ND. - Minuteman (Aug. 14, 1964 - May 31, 1992)
341st SMW - Malmstrom AFB, Great Falls, MT. - Minuteman (Jul. 1, 1964)
351st SMW - Lowry AFB , Denver, CO. - Minuteman (Jun. 1, 1961 - Sep. 28, 1991)
381st SMW - McConnell AFB, Wichita, KS. - Titan II (Mar. 1, 1962 -)
389th SMW - F.E. Warren AFB, Cheyenne, WY. - Atlas E (Jul. 1, 1961 - Mar. 25, 1965)
390th SMW - Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, AZ. - Titan II (Jun. 1963 -)
392d SMW - Vandenberg AFB, Lompoc, CA. - Atlas (564th SMS Oct 18, 1961 - Dec 20, 1961) and (565th SMS Jul. 1, 1961 - Dec. 1, 1964)and Titan
451st SMW - Lowry AFB, Denver, CO. - Titan I (Jun. 1, 1961 - Jun. 25, 1965)
455th SMW - Minot AFB, Minot, ND. Minuteman (Jun. 28, 1962 - Jun 25, 1968)
462d SMW - Larson AFB, Moses Lake, WA. - Titan I (Feb. 11, 1963 - Mar. 25, 1965)
702d SMW - Presque Isle AFB, Presque Isle, ME. - Snark (Jun. 17, 1958 - Jun. 25, 1961).
704th SMW - Vandenberg AFB, Lompoc, CA. - Atlas (Apr. 1 1958 - Jul. 1, 1959) and Titan
705th SMW - Lakenheath Royal Air Force (RAF) Station, United Kingdom Thor (Feb. 28, 1958 - Jun. 22, 1959)
706th SMW - F.E. Warren AFB, Cheyenne, WY. - Atlas (Jul. 1, 1958 - Jul. 1, 1961)(Oct. 1, 1960 - Jul. 1, 1961)
4320th SMW - F.E. Warren AFB, Cheyenne, WY. - Atlas

[edit] SAWs by Location and Missile Type

6th SAW - Walker AFB, Rosewell, NM. - Atlas F (Sep. 1, 1961 - Mar. 25, 1965)
9th SAW - Mountain Home AFB, Mountain Home AFB, ID. - Titan I (Jun. 1, 1961 - Jun. 25, 1965)
11th SAW - Altus AFB, Altus, OK. - Atlas F (Jun. 1, 1961 - Mar. 25, 1965)
40th SAW - Forbes AFB, Topeka, KS. - Atlas E (Jan. 1, 1964 - Sep. 1, 1964)
92nd SAW - Fairchild AFB, Spokane, WA. - Atlas E (Apr. 1, 1960 - Jun 25, 1965)
96th SAW - Dyess AFB, Abilene, TX. - Atlas F (Jul. 1, 1961 - Mar. 25, 1965)
98th SAW - Lincoln AFB, Lincoln, NE. - Atlas F ((Jan. 1, 1964 - Jun. 25, 1965)
310th SAW - Schilling AFB, SAlina, KS. - Atlas F (Apr. 1, 1961 - Jun. 25, 1965)
380th SAW - Plattsburgh AFB, Plattsburg, NY. - Atlas F (Sep. 15, 1964 - Jun. 25, 1965)
389th SAW - F.E. Warren AFB, WY. - Atlas E (Jul. 1, 1961 - Sep. 1, 1964)
456th SAW - Beale AFB, Marysville, CA. - Titan I (Feb. 11, 1963 - Mar. 25, 1965)
462nd SAW - Larson AFB, Moses Lake, WA. - Titan I (Feb. 11, 1963 - Mar. 25, 1965)

[edit] Typical Missile Payload

Titan I - W-38 warhead with a 4 megaton payload ^[1]
Titan II - W-53 warhead with a 9 megaton payload
Minuteman I II & III used different nuclear components over the years, including:
- W62 Estimated to be 170 kiloton payload
- W78 Estimated to be 335-350 kiloton payload
- W87(2006-) Estimated to be 200-272 kiloton payload