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1994-11-02
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The Titan II is by far the oldest and largest of America's surviving
strategic missiles. Operational since 1963, Titan II combined silo emplace-
ment with hypergolic self-igniting propellants which reduced reaction time
from over three hours to one minute.
With a speed of over 15,000 miles per hour at burnout, the Titan II has a
second stage that ignites in space, giving the missile it's great range. In
1978, the original guidance system was replaced with the Universal Space
Guidance System used on NASA's Titan III rocket. This new guidance system
increased accuracy and significantly reduced maintenance costs.
In 1994, less than 50 Titan II rockets remained in use in the United States
strategic missile program. Of all the ICBMs in the West, these still offer
the greatest range and throw-weight of any weapon outside the former Soviet
arsenel. With the dismantling of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold
War, it is likely that the remaining Titan IIs will soon be retired with no
planned replacement.