- The Minuteman missile was introduced in 1962 as a key part of America’s nuclear deterrent. The Minuteman III missile is currently the only US land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), with 400 missiles ready for launch, spread across five central states.1 The missile contains a precision guidance system, capable of delivering a warhead to a target 13,000 km away (8000 miles) with an accuracy of 200 meters (660 feet).