At left is a diagram of the underground portion of the Minuteman III Launch Facility. The most dominant feature that separates it from its predecessor, the Minuteman II, is the huge Launcher Equipment Building (LEB). This was a huge survivability upgrade for the Minuteman system, as the LEB contained a standby power generator capable of running for days, and most of the site's environmental control systems. The earlier Minuteman had a "soft support" building called a Launcher Support Building (LSB), which was basically a small room just below ground level, that contained the same equipment. It was not hardened against blast effects, and even a conventional weapons attack would have put the facility on emergency power and air-conditioning, limiting its usability greatly. The upgraded LEB is a hardened, sealed, concrete and steel capsule buried 40 feet underground, and allowed the silo to remain on alert for several days in a self-contained environment, if necessary. Unfortunately, the remaining Minuteman bases in the force do not have this upgrade incorporated, nor is there any plan to do so. To see photos and information about each part of the LF, click on the part of the diagram you wish to explore.

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UHF Radio Antenna (for ALCC communications) Launcher Closure Debris Bins Launcher Closure Door T.E. Pylons EMP Sensing Antenna Personnel Access Hatch System A-Circuit Plug Cover LEB Equipment Hatch LEB Personnel Hatch LEB J-Ladder LEB Blast Door Launcher Equipment Buliding(LEB) Intake Fan Blast Actuated Valve Intake Duct Shock Isolator Blast Delay Line Diesel Fuel Tank Duct Well Exhaust Duct Blast Actuated Valve Sump Pump Pit Missile Suspension System Launch Tube LEB Sump Pump Pit Intrusion Detection Transducer Missile Launcher Closure Actuator Piston Ballistic Gas Generators