An 
early model Minuteman missile recently joined rockets and ICBMs in the missile and space gallery of the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, going on display indoors for the first time since arriving at the museum in 1971. Representing the earliest Minuteman IA version—10 of which first went operational at Malmstrom AFB, Mont., in October 1962—the missile was displayed outside of the museum for many years. It now stands alongside a Minuteman III, Peacekeeper, Titan I, Titan II, Thor, and Jupiter ICBM in the gallery. As USAF’s first solid-fueled ICBM, “Minuteman represented a significant advance in USAF ballistic missile technology when it came into service,” said Doug Lantry, museum research historian. Unlike previous Atlas and Titan missiles that required upwards of 30 minutes to fuel, Minuteman could be readied for launch in under a minute. (Dayton report by Sarah Swan)
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
