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So, back in the late 70s-early 80s, it seems to have been generally thought that missile silos either were or would shortly be obsolete, due to improvements in Soviet ICBM accuracy. In order to stay in the ICBM game, the USAF was considering all sorts of crazy basing options, with the most popular being variants of MPS, Multiple Protective Shelters, also called the Racetrack. In the end, we decided not to use Racetrack, but I'm wondering what the effects of building Racetrack, or one of the even crazier variants, would have been. I'm not sure it would make that much difference to the strategic picture (feel free to correct me), but it seems like it might have a substantial impact on domestic politics and in other areas of the defense budget. I'm curious for the thoughts of board members more knowledge than I.

In terms of domestic politics, Racetrack seems to have been viciously unpopular in the state(s) they wanted to build it. I haven't been able to find any polling data showing the opinion of the rest of the country, however, and I'm not sure if it would have had any substantial political impact outside Nevada.

In terms of budgeting, USAF cost estimates were about $33 billion in 1980 dollars (~$90 billion today), while outside estimates ran to as much as $55 billion (~$150 billion). That's for MPS; Multiple Protective Pools, some of the air-mobile plans, or the original super-hardened plan (the one buried under a mountain, distinct from densepack) would have cost even more. Could Reagan have gotten that in the defense budget without cuts elsewhere? And, if not, what would have been cut?

Thoughts?
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