Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

321st Missile Squadron [321st MS]

The 321st Missile Squadron at Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyo., operates, maintains and secures 50 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles and five launch control centers.

The last Minuteman III launch control center was converted to a new command and control system called Rapid Execution and Combat Targeting System on 05 October 1995. REACT updates the technology required to operate the sophisticated intercontinental ballistic missiles. Francis E. Warren was the first base to install the new computer software system in September 1994, and the first base to run completely under REACT when the conversion is complete. Designed by Loral Command and Control Systems, REACT offers a new interface with the missiles. The missile crew has a monitor and keyboard that looks much like a personal home computer. REACT allows commands from a Windows-like format instead of using switches and buttons. REACT speeds up missile retargeting. The targeting process, which took 30 to 40 minutes under the old Command Data Buffer System, now take only a few minutes to perform.

Constituted 321st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) on 28 Jan 1942. Activated on 15 Apr 1942. Redesignated 321st Bombardment Squadron, Heavy, on 6 Mar 1944. Inactivated on 27 Jan 1946. Redesignated 321st Bombardment Squadron, Very Heavy, on 11 Jun 1947. Activated on 1 Jul 1947. Inactivated on 6 Sep 1948. Redesignated 321st Bombardment Squadron, Medium, on 20 Dec 1950. Activated on 2 Jan 1951. Redesignated 321st Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, Medium, on 16 Jun 1952. Discontinued on 20 Jun 1960. Redesignated 321st Strategic Missile Squadron (ICBM-Minuteman) on 16 Sep 1963. Organized on 9 Apr 1964. Redesignated 321st Missile Squadron on 1 Sep 1991. Combat in Southwest and Western Pacific, 22 Nov 1942-24 Jul 1945. Apparently not manned, 1 Jul 1947-6 Sep 1948. Operational training, 1 Jun 1951-Sep 1952; replacement training, 1 Jun 1951-1 Sep 1953; SHORAN training, 10 Nov 1952-30 Nov 1953; RB-47 crew training, c. 1 Jan 1959-20 Jun 1960. Strategic missile operations, 1964-.