North Dakota is home an abandoned 1970s Anti-Ballistic Missile complex, originally intended to protect the US ICBM launch sites from incoming missiles. In theory, it was a de-escalation step, since the ability to protect the launch sites in the face of an enemy first-strike would make the US less trigger-happy in the face of a threatened Soviet attack. Sadly Congress didn’t believe the system would actually work, and the Soviets probably didn’t either, so it was shut down in 1976.
Since I’ve visited three ICBM launch sites (the Titan Missile Museum, a Soviet SS-24 site and a Minuteman site) I decided it was time to look at the other side of things!
The main surviving relic is the imposing and mysterious “MSR Pyramid”, a giant phased array “Missile Site Radar”. Unfortunately it isn’t open for visits.
I also drove by RSL #3, one of the interceptor missile launch sites. That was also closed today, but apparently the owner does run tours in the summer months.
