After the mobility operational concept was deleted, the mode of employment was from static sites. A continuous capability to salvo all 15 missiles allocated to a squadron within 15 minutes after receipt of the execution order was to be maintained. This meant that the missile had to be in a 15-minute readiness condition at all times. Squadrons would deploy around a single support base on five outlying launching positions. Each launch position would contain three emplacements, comprised of three missiles, three launchers, and one triple launch control trailer (LCT). This became known as the three-by-five configuration. No alternate positions were provided, and no tactical movement of launch positions was planned 65 . Development Program Nose Cone As earlier mentioned, nose cone re-entry into the sensible atmosphere was recognized by ABMA at the beginning of its operations as a difficult technical problem to resolve, so this task was undertaken immediately. From German rocket history, ABMA scientists knew that, from a height of 107 miles, re- entry thermal heat was such that melting would occur. After the war, high altitude probes at WSMR met with these conditions. When the JUPITER was approved, the developers knew that missile ranges in excess of 250 miles would meet with this re-entry factor. Since the JUPITER was to be a 1,500-mile weapon system, the problem was compounded because of the higher Mach rate needed to reach the increased distance. At that range, steel would have been easily melted in the thermal barrier. _____________________________

65. USAFE Op Plan, 1960.