Did you know it’s possible to tour a nuclear missile silo right here in the United States?! Visitors to southern Arizona can easily visit the once-secret facility. The underground complex still looks as it did while in active use.
The Titan II Program
From 1963 to 1987, the United States maintained the Titan II intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program. It consisted of 54 top-secret nuclear launch sites centered around Air Force bases in Arizona, Arkansas, and Kansas. (The Titan II missile was later modified and used as a space launch vehicle until 2003.)
The only remaining Titan II missile silo— complete with its own (disarmed!) missile— is in Green Valley, Arizona, near Tucson. It is one of 18 such complexes, spaced at least seven miles apart, that once operated in the state. I learned of it from a fellow educator and checked it out one summer on my way to New Mexico.
Underground Bunker
There’s an above-ground area open to self-guided exploration. But the good stuff is below ground and accessible only by guided tour.
We descended a concealed metal stairwell, following in the footsteps of military personnel who once staffed the site 24/7/365. Visitors learn the once-secret, coded process for gaining access to the three-level bunker. Then they pass through several security checkpoints into the vast missile complex.
Although no longer a functional military facility, the site retains its authentic 1980s appearance. Visitors see the control room, launch mechanisms, crew quarters and mess. And then there’s the main attraction— the huge missile itself, still housed vertically in its original silo. The missile stands eight stories tall and was the largest ICBM ever deployed.
Along the way, you pick up a lot of interesting political and military facts about the Cold War era. So it’s an interesting visit for history and military buffs.
Missile Launch
The Titan II bunkers were designed to withstand a nuclear attack and allow the United States to retaliate against a first strike. The missiles could be launched in about a minute, but only on orders from the President, given in complex code.
A launch required the collaboration of two Airmen, each of whom was assigned a separate safe and ignition key. The operators would have used the President’s coded message to retrieve additional codes from their respective safes. They needed the additional codes to unlock the missile for launch. The Service Members then had to insert and turn their keys in a closely timed sequence to fire the missile.
The facility’s website offers several informational videos about the base’s former operations.
Accidental Explosion
On September 18-19, 1980, about an hour north of Little Rock, Arkansas, a fuel leak inside a Titan II bunker caused an explosion. The blast killed one Airman, injured 21 other people, and ejected the 9-megaton nuclear warhead from its silo.
The warhead landed nearby without detonating or releasing any harmful material. However, the launch complex was destroyed. The accident is known as the Damascus Incident because of its proximity to a small, nearby town of the same name.
Plan Your Visit
Note the underground facility in Arizona is not accessible to persons with limited mobility. Individuals must be capable of descending and ascending multiple sets of stairs.
The complex used to allow overnight stays in the crew quarters for a steep but not outlandish price. There’s currently no mention of that offer on the museum’s website. Still, I think it’s worth asking if it remains possible.
After all, how many people can say they spent the night— or even set foot in— a nuclear missile silo?!
For more information and to plan your visit, click here.
Other Cool Sites in Arizona
And if you’re already in Arizona, consider stargazing in Sedona or a visit to Antelope Canyon on the Navajo Reservation near Page.
Affiliate Advertising: If you use these links to buy something, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
