quote:

Originally posted by mrapteam666:
I had to look up what the code designator meant. 3D (3 missile defense areas), 18H (18 launch heads or launchers), and 12L (12 missile launchers).

Okay, this part confuses me. Did this mean there were 18 pads designated for launchers but only 12 emplaced launchers?

quote:

Originally posted by SPWAMike0317:
I live about a mile from a former Nike missile launch site. The underground facilities are no longer safe to access but the grounds are now the county police academy and fire training facility.

That wouldn't be the Allegheny County Police Academy that you are referring to, would it? I was there for an armorer class a few years ago, and spent two days in a building out by their range facility. That building was old enough that it might have dated back to the Nike program.

Either way, it's kinda cool to learn that bit of history about a place that I've been, even though I had no idea about it at the time I was there!

We toured the one in the Marin Headlands near San Francisco last year, it was pretty darn cool. They operate the missile doors and raise one up and erect it. Our 6yr old daughter and another kid of similar age got to push one of the missiles across the loading ramps. I remember the tour guide discussing if they had ever launched one (despite it possibly having a nuclear warhead on it), there would be all sorts of problems because of how quickly they went supersonic. They never actually tested them from any of the launchers that protected the cities because of that.

This Iowa Sheriff owns a Nike complex that protected Omaha and Offutt. I am envious.

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
That wouldn't be the Allegheny County Police Academy that you are referring to, would it? I was there for an armorer class a few years ago, and spent two days in a building out by their range facility. That building was old enough that it might have dated back to the Nike program.

Either way, it's kinda cool to learn that bit of history about a place that I've been, even though I had no idea about it at the time I was there!

It is the Allegheny County Police Academy. The magazine and launchers were under the parking lot between the Police Academy and the garage for Fire Equipment. We could see the outlines of the magazines but they were abandoned after the Nike program was terminated and are so deteriorated that it is not safe, or sane, to enter.

quote:

Originally posted by SPWAMike0317:

It is the Allegheny County Police Academy. The magazine and launchers were under the parking lot between the Police Academy and the garage for Fire Equipment. We could see the outlines of the magazines but they were abandoned after the Nike program was terminated and are so deteriorated that it is not safe, or sane, to enter.

That's awesome. I wish I'd known when I was there...I would have payed more attention and probably poked around some. I sat in that parking lot for almost an hour the first day with nothing to do because I was early and nobody else was there yet.

Back in the Cold War era, almost every city or military base of any significance had nike sites around them for protection.
It was explained to me that the Nike system was essentially obsolete even before it went into service, but some one can correct me on that possibly.
I know of one gun club years ago that used an underground structure at a nike base for a shooting range. And I grew up in WNY ( Buffalo) with a fair amount of important industry and the Niagara Air Force base all requiring protection.

An old medical colleague of mine actually bought a portion of one of the above ground Nike bases and refurbished a building to house his car collection, and remodeled an old barracks into apartments he offered to medical residents at low cost.