A-Circuit: Also known as a Security Pit Vault Door, it consists of a 166 lb steel plug equipped with a lock and penetration detectors. Removing this plug is the first step to gaining access to the silo.
Briefing/Debriefing: agency responsible for providing teams with detailed information relating to maintenance in the missile field, including road and weather conditions, security threats, and other maintenance on the site. They also take in concise reports of this same information from returning teams, to ensure current information is passed on to the next work crews.
B-Plug: Also called the Secondary Door. Consists of a massive steel and concrete plug containing locks and tamper detectors, and held in place when locked by several 4" thick retractable steel pins. After being unlocked, it must be lowered by an electric screw jack, after a preset timer has elapsed. A telescoping ladder hooked between the b-plug and the top of the PAH is extended into the silo as the B-Plug lowers.
B-Van: Battery Van; a 5 ton payload truck, similar to a M-Van, specially configured with dual rear axles and a heavy-duty hoist for use with heavy equipment such as emergency power storage batteries and generators.
Camper: Usually a 6-Pack truck equipped with a cabover camper shell. Has a bed, lavatory, galley area and other amenities for the security guards who use it to guard a silo with a malfunctioning security system, often for days at a time.
Capsule: maintenance nickname for a Launch Control Center (LCC), called so because of the shape of the underground structure. See LCC
Capsule Crew: nickname for the Missile Combat Crew. Also called capsule jocks.
Carryall: 6-9 passenger Suburban vehicle, used to carry personnel to missile field locations, usually Security relief or Missile Combat Crews.
CCT: Corrosion Control Teams; fight the constant battle of protecting aging silos from the ravages of time and weather.
Clear Zone: 20 foot corridor surrounding missile installation fencelines that must be kept clear of vehicles and personnel for security purposes. Entering this area without permission can result in challenge by an armed SETor ART team.
C-Van: Cargo Van; a 6 passenger pickup with a utility box over the bed, also called a L-Van or U-van, depending on the base.
D09: Missile Wing Division where top secret launch and enable codes for the missiles are created and stored. Also known as the Codes Vault, since the secured area the codes are stored in usually has a bank-vault style door.
DCM: Deputy Commander for Maintenance; the defacto "head cheese" of a Missile Wing, who is directly involved with all maintenance in the field, as opposed to the Wing Commander, who performs more administrative functions.
DMCCC: Deputy Missile Combat Crew Commander - or "deputy" for short. A large mouthful of words to identify Capsule Jock #2.
EMT: Electro-Mechanical Team; performs majority of the electronic and mechanical maintenance at the silo and control center.
Fire Team: 5 man, heavily armed Security team, usually transported by helicopter, used for additional support during weapon movements or other threat conditions.
FMT: Field Maintenance Team; repairs environmental control and commercial power systems
FSC: Flight Security Controller. Security NCO based at each LCF/MAF, and responsible for managing security for the 10 silos under control of that LCF/MAF.
FSO: Field Security Officer. Roving security supervisor.
GST: Ground Systems Test. A pre-launch check of a Peacekeeper Missile that tests all launch control, command, and safety systems at the silo.
HARD or HARDENED: refers to a facility or facility equipment that has been reinforced or "hardened" against damage from a nuclear attack. Hardened equipment is usually installed below ground level to avoid most of the blast effects, and also may incorporate protection from thermal and electro-magnetic pulse effects in addition to structural strengthening. Degrees of hardness are usually measured as the overpressure that the equipment can withstand.
ICBM: Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile. Generally, a multi-stage missile capable of striking one or more targets located overseas from a launcher based in the home country.
IZ: Inner Zone security loop. An array of penetration detectors, switch loops, and other devices that act as the secondary security system preventing unauthorized access to a missile silo.
KCCC: Also known as "Keys & Codes". A missile Wing section operated by security police, which store, control, and issue access keys and authentication codes materials that allow teams to gain entry to a missile silo.
Keys & Codes: See KCCC
Launch Tube: Part of the Launch Facility that actually houses the missile, separated from the surrounding walls and equipment rooms by a thick steel liner.
Launcher Closure: The massive concrete and steel door that covers the launch tube until the missile is commanded to launch. Commonly called a silo door.
Launch Control Equipment Building: Underground part of the Launch Control Facility that contains the Environmental Control and Commercial/Standby Power systems that supply the Launch Control Center (LCC).
LCF: Launch Control Facility; now known as a Missile Alert Facility (MAF). Consists of a surface support building, elevator, and an underground Launch Control Center/Equipment Building Complex.
Launcher Capability Test: A pre-launch check of a Minuteman Missile that tests all launch control, command, and safety systems at the silo.
Launcher Equipment Building: Underground part of the Launch Facility that contains the Environmental Control and Commercial/Standby Power systems that supply the Launcher. The LEB configuration is a hardened underground structure used only at Grand Forks and 1 squadron of missiles at Malmstrom AFB; all other bases use the LSB configuration.
LF: Launch Facility, commonly known as the missile silo. Consists of a Launch Tube housing the missile, upper and lower equipment rooms surrounding the upper 1/3rd of the launch tube, and a separate support building housing the environmental and power generator systems.
LG-118A: Equipment Designation for a Peacekeeper Missile, also known as the MX.
LGM-30: Equipment Designation for the Minuteman Missile series. The "LGM" designates the system as a ground launched, guided missile. The Minuteman series has several disignations: LGM-30A and B (Minuteman 1), LGM-30F (Minuteman 2), and LGM-30G (Minuteman 3). Only the LGM-30G Missile is now in use as an ICBM, however the older "F" model is being utilized by commercial spacelaunch programs.
Launcher Support Building: Semi-underground part of the Launch Facility that contains the Environmental Control and Commercial/Standby Power systems that supply the Launcher. The LSB configuration is a "soft" underground structure with a ceiling level with the surface, used at all Minuteman II type sites. Grand Forks and 1 squadron of missiles at Malmstrom AFB use the hardened LEB configuration.
L-Van: Cargo Van; a 6 passenger pickup with a utility box over the bed, also called a C-Van or U-van, depending on the base.
MAF: Missile Alert Facility; new designation for what used to be called a Launch Control Facility (LCF).
MCC: Missile Combat Crew; also known as the Capsule Crew.
MCCC: Missile Combat Crew Commander - or "commander" for short. A large mouthful of words to identify Capsule Jock #1.
MET Van: Missile Equipment Trailer; a specially equipped box trailer that can be towed by a pickup truck, and used to perform Missile Guidance Set swaps and other low intensity missile maintenance.
MHT: Missile Handling Team; installs/removes the missile
MMT: Missile Maintenance Team; installs/removes the missile payloads
M-Van: Maintenance Van; a 5 ton payload truck, equipped with a hoist, and used during heavy maintenance tasks.
MX: Test Designation for a Peacekeeper Missile, or Missile, Experimental. Official System Equipment Designation is now the LG-118A Peacekeeper.
OZ: Outer Zone security system. Consists of a range and size sensitive doppler radar system that scans the area enclosed by the fenceline at the Launch Facility. The OZ Antennas formerly used were a set of horn antennas on Minuteman II, and dome-covered dish antennas on Minuteman III. With the OZ system upgrade to IMPSS equipment, the antenna used is a single Monopole which is used for both transmit and recieve of "snapshot" radar pulses.
PAH: Personnel Access Hatch; a 2000lb concrete and steel hatch which must be cranked open by hand using screwjack assembly, after the A-Circuit has been removed to allow access to a locking pin that holds the PAH closed. Once opened, the B-Blug can then be accessed to continue site penetration.
Peacekeeper Missile: Officially the LG-118A Peacekeeper, also known as the MX Missile.
Peacekeeper Vehicle: A light armored vehicle carrying a turret mounted M-60 machine gun and up to a 5 man security team, used for heavy security escorts.
Pipe Pusher: A hydraulic ram device used to open a Launcher Closure door for maintenance on the missile. An electric compressor unit that drives the ram is set on top of the LAuncher Closure door, and the ram unit itself is mounted between the front tip of the door and the teeth on the cogged center rail. The ram can be switched to either pull the door open, or push it shut. Either process can take many minutes to complete because the ram only moves a rail tooth at time, literally inching along.
PMT: Periodic Maintenance Team; performs preventative maintenance tasks on the silo.
PNEU: Pneudraulics Maintenance Team; repair the various gas/hydraulic control systems on the Launch Facility
PT Tractor: Payload Transporter Truck and Trailer;specially configured for removing and installing RV's,PSRE's, and MGS's
QA: Quality Assurance Inspection Team
RON: Remain Over Night, usually at a Launch Control Facility near the silo.
SART: Specialized Armed Response Team; a 2 person security team with special tactics training.
SELM: Simulated Electronic Launch of Minuteman. Similar to the LCT test performed at Vandenberg AFB prior to a Missile Launch, but this test is geared for operational missile bases.
SET Guards: Security Escort Team. Usually 2 Security Police personnel, armed with M-16 weapons, who perform guard duty while maintenance takes place underground at the silo.
SFT: Systems Function Test. Previously used acronym for the LCT test at Minuteman III sites on Vandenberg AFB.
SOFT: refers to a structure or equipment designed for ease of use and repair, but unable to withstand damage from a nuclear attack. "Soft" structures and equipment serving critical functions usually have a "Hardened" backup that can be quickly configured to replace the soft item after it is destroyed.
SMW: Strategic Missile Wing.
TCC: Traffic Control Center; missile wing section that tracks all dispatching trips in the Missile Field.
Terminal Countdown: Essentially the last 60 seconds that the ICBM remains in the silo. After receiving a correct launch command that matches Launch and Enable codes in the Missile Guidance Set and a device in the first stage called the CSD, the missile begins running its autonomous launch and targeting programs, electrical umbilicals are blown free of the missile (severing all outside control), then the launcher closure door is blown free and the ICBM takes flight.
TE: Transporter-Erector. Huge Tractor-Trailer vehicle which transports Minuteman Missiles to and from the silo, and uses a built in crane to remove or install them in the silo. A specially constructed "lowboy" cab sits under the trailer to keep the vehicle length within D.O.T. limits for driving the roads without special permits.
Team Chief: Technician in charge of a 2 - 7 man team. When assuming control of a silo for maintenance, he is the site commander, regardless of rank or number of personnel on site. Because of this fact, you can arrive at situations where a lower ranking enlisted person will have authority over higher ranking NCO's or officers, by virtue of technical competence. On-Site Team Chief status is determined by task and knowledge, not rank. This promotes much better task safety and security.
Tiger Team: 5 man, heavily armed Security team, usually in a Peacekeeper Vehicle, used for additional support during weapon movements or other threat conditions.
T-Van: Transport Van; a 5 ton payload truck, similar to a M-Van, specially configured with equipment used during missile pull and install operations by MHT.
U-Van: Cargo Van; a 6 passenger pickup with a utility box over the bed, also called a L-Van or C-van, depending on the base.
WJC: Wing Job Control. Organization that coordinates all maintenance efforts in the field and on the main base.
