AN/DRC-8 Emergency Rocket Communications System

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Emergency Rocket Communications System

Emergency Rocket Communications System payload
Type Intercontinental ballistic missile/Communications System
Place of origin United States
Service history
In service 1963-1968 (Blue Scout)
1968-1991 (Minuteman II)
Used by United States
510th Missile Squadron
Production history
Manufacturer Boeing
Unit cost $7,000,000
Specifications
Weight 78,000 lb (35,300 kg)
Length 59 ft 9.5 in (18.2 m)
Diameter 5 ft 6 in (1.7 m) (1st stage)
Warhead 1KW UHF Transmitter

Engine Three solid-propellant rocket motors; first stage - Thiokol TU-122 (M-55); second stage - Aerojet-General SR-19-AJ-1; third stage - Aerojet/Thiokol SR73-AJ/TC-1
Operational
range
8,100 miles (13,000 km)
Flight altitude 700 miles (1,120 kilometers)
Speed Approximately 15,000 mph (Mach 23, or 24,100 km/h, or 7 km/s) (terminal phase)
Guidance
system
Inertial
Launch
platform
Silo

The Emergency Rocket Communications System (ERCS) was designed to provide a reliable and survivable emergency communications method for the United States National Command Authority, using a UHF repeater placed atop a Blue Scout rocket or Minuteman II intercontinental ballistic missile.[1] ERCS was deactivated as a communication means when President George H.W. Bush issued a message to stand down SIOP-committed bombers and Minuteman IIs on 27 Sep 91. Headquarters SAC was given approval by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to deactivate the 494L payloads beginning 1 Oct 1992.[2] However, Headquarters SAC believed it was inefficient and unnecessary to support ERCS past fiscal year 1991, and kept the accelerated deactivation schedule.

Mission

The mission of the Emergency Rocket Communications System was to provide assured communication to United States strategic forces in the event of a nuclear attack. ERCS was basically a rocket or missile that carried a UHF transmitter as a payload instead of a nuclear warhead. In the event of a nuclear attack, ERCS would launch the UHF transmitter into low space to transmit an Emergency Action Message (EAM) to Strategic Air Command units.[3][4][5][6]

The ERCS sorties had two possible trajectories, East and West, to inform SAC alert forces in the northern tier bases (i.e. Minot AFB, Fairchild AFB, Grand Forks AFB).[7]

ERCS was deactivated and taken out of the inventory as other means of emergency communication (i.e. ISST and Milstar) came online.[8]

Nomenclature

ERCS was also known as Project 279 (Blue Scout version) and Project 494L (Minuteman version). Sources report that the Project 279 was also known as Project Beanstalk;[9][10] while the Minuteman system may have been designated LEM-70A.[11]

Operations

The Blue Scout version of ERCS (Program 279) was deployed to three sites near Wisner, West Point, and Tekamah, Nebraska. The Program 494L Minuteman version of ERCS was only deployed to Whiteman AFB, Missouri's 351st Strategic Missile Wing, under the direct control of the 510th Strategic Missile Squadron (later the 510th Missile Squadron).

ERCS was a three part communications system composed of the following elements:

  1. The five 510th Strategic Missile Squadron Launch Control Centers, which exercised primary control over the ERCS
  2. The Minuteman missiles configured with ERCS payloads that were capable of accepting a voice recorded message of up to 90 seconds in length
  3. The SAC airborne command post (ABNCP) ALCC-equipped aircraft which served as an alternate ERCS control agency.[12]

Interface with ERCS hardware was provided by three modes:

Headquarters Strategic Air Command had the ability to make inputs directly into the missile. The Numbered Air Forces could direct the missile crew to make the inputs. In the case of the airborne command post, inputs could be made directly into the missile and missile launch could be made from the aircraft.[13]

Testing

Operational tests of the 494L Minuteman II ERCS were conducted by Air Force Systems Command and Strategic Air Command under the code name GIANT MOON. Launch Control Facility Oscar-1A (LCF O-1A) and Launch Facility Zero Four (LF-04) at Vandenberg AFB, California were modified in 1977 to perform ERCS-related test functions.

Blue Scout Jr ERCS Test Launches[14]
DateLaunch VehicleLocationApogeeNotes
31 May 1962 Blue Scout Jr SLV-1C Vandenberg AFB, LC-A 1,000 km (600 mi)
24 Jul 1962 Blue Scout Jr SLV-1C Vandenberg AFB, LC-A 1,000 km (600 mi)
21 Nov 1962 Blue Scout Jr SLV-1C Vandenberg AFB, LC-A 1,000 km (600 mi)
2 Feb 1963 Blue Scout Jr SLV-1C Vandenberg AFB, LC-A 1,000 km (600 mi)
14 Mar 1963 Blue Scout Jr SLV-1C Vandenberg AFB, LC-A 1,000 km (600 mi)
17 May 1963 Blue Scout Jr SLV-1C Vandenberg AFB, LC-A 1,000 km (600 mi)
17 Dec 1963 Blue Scout Jr SLV-1C Vandenberg AFB, 4300C 1,000 km (600 mi)
Minuteman II ERCS Test Launches[15]
DateLaunch VehicleLocationApogeeNotes
1966 December 13 Minuteman II Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 1,300 km (800 mi) First Minuteman ERCS test
1967 February 2 Minuteman II Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 1,300 km (800 mi) Second Minuteman ERCS test
1970 August 4 Minuteman II Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 1,300 km (800 mi) GIANT MOON 1, GLORY TRIP 16L
1971 October 22 Minuteman II Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 1,300 km (800 mi) GIANT MOON 2, GLORY TRIP 40L
1972 March 22 Minuteman II Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 1,300 km (800 mi) GIANT MOON 3, GLORY TRIP 200L
1973 July 26 Minuteman II Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 1,300 km (800 mi) GIANT MOON 4
1974 March 12 Minuteman II Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 1,300 km (800 mi) GIANT MOON 5
1974 October 22 Minuteman II Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 1,300 km (800 mi) GIANT MOON 6
1975 September 5 Minuteman II Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 1,300 km (800 mi) GIANT MOON 7
1976 October 26 Minuteman II Vandenberg AFB, LF-05 1,300 km (800 mi) GIANT MOON 8

ERCS Sortie Location

After the system was declassified, the ten ERCS sorties were powered down and removed from their launch facilities. During these power down operations, the location of the sorties were:

ERCS Sortie Locations
Launch FacilityPower Down DatePayload Removal DateNotes
F062 Oct 199115 Oct 1991
F072 Oct 199117 Oct 1991
I062 Oct 199122 Oct 1991
I112 Oct 199128 Oct 1991
M0328 Sep 199103 Oct 1991Missile Guidance System failed; was not replaced
M072 Oct 199108 Oct 1991
N042 Oct 199129 Oct 1991
N082 Oct 199131 Oct 1991
O052 Oct 199129 Oct 1991
O062 Oct 199131 Oct 1991

Material and Support

The Ogden Air Materiel Area at Hill AFB, Utah was made the Systems Support Manager in August 1963.[16]

Chronology[5]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Emergency Rocket Communications System.

In popular culture

ERCS is mentioned in The Dead Hand: The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race and its Dangerous Legacy by David Hoffman.[20]

See also

References

  1. LtC Phillip K. Heacock: "The Viability of Centralized Command and Control (C2)", Air University Review , January-February 1979
  2. "RE: Emergency Rocket Communications System Deactivation". Strategic Air Command History, 1 Jan - 31 Dec 1991. 30 Apr 1991. Retrieved 8 Dec 2012.
  3. Monitoring Times: "What is an EAM?", 4 Apr 2005
  4. National Museum of the United States Air Force: Emergency Rocket Communications System factsheet
  5. 1 2 Department of the Air Force: "Strategic Air Command Weapon Systems Acquisition 1964-1979", 28 April 1980
  6. Federation of American Scientists: Emergency Rocket Communications System
  7. SAC Regulation 55-45, Vol X
  8. "ERCS Deactivation Plan Input". Strategic Air Command History, 1 Jan - 31 Dec 1991. Department of the Air Force. 11 Mar 1991. Retrieved 8 Dec 2012.
  9. Jonathan's Space Report, No. 533, 27 Aug 2004
  10. Dr. Howard Tamashiro: "The Danger of Nuclear Diplomatic Decapitation", Air University Review, September-October 1984
  11. Parsch, Andreas (2002). "Boeing LEM-70 Minuteman ERCS". Directory of U.S. Military Rockets and Missiles. designation-systems.net. Archived from the original on 15 December 2010. Retrieved 2011-01-10.
  12. Department of the Air Force: SAC Regulation 55-45, Vol 10, 28 Jun 1982
  13. 1 2 3 4 IRIS #010808041 - Post Attack Command and Control System overview
  14. Encyclopedia Astronautica: Scout Space Launch Vehicle
  15. Encyclopedia Astronautica: Vandenberg AFB Launch Facility 05
  16. Hill AFB: Allied Signal Emergency Rocket Communications System (ASERC) Archived June 4, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
  17. 1 2 U.S. Air Force: History Milestones
  18. 1 2 Space and Missile Center: Space and Missile Systems Organization History (Volume 2), 1 Jul 1967-30 Jun 1969
  19. Nautilus Institute Nuclear Policy Project: CINCPAC Command History, 1974, Volume I
  20. Amazon.com: "The Dead Hand" by David Hoffman
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