Guess this missile?

[joko104]

I just saw the most unexpected thing. Leaving a warehouse we have on a state highway, I saw a bunch of vehicles coming with flashing yellow and white lights. The first 2 were white trucks with high poles off the front for height clearance safety. Two meant this isn't moving a house or big trailer. Behind was 6 more white SUVs also with a lot of flashing yellow lights. Then a semi truck.

The truck was towing a missile wrapped in black plastic. About 90 to 100 feet long and 8 foot in diameter. It had a round nose like a ball bullet and a huge single nozzle at the back. This was followed by 6 more white SUVs with flashing yellow lights and only 1 state trooper cruiser - this just before 10 PM. No local sheriff's vehicles or any other law enforcement, suggesting this is very secret since there is a large sheriff's department presence here.

This is a very small city on the Gulf of Mexico. There is no military base anywhere near here of any kind and the nearest sizable city is about 60 miles away (Tampa). I couldn't even guess what it could be for. Too long for a ship or sub, but seemed too short to be intercontinental nor would it make any sense to put an intercontinental missile here.

But there is something here. One of the oldest nuclear power plants in the country, but shut down for a cracked containment chamber too costly to repair, plus 4 coal burning plants - only about 10 miles by road from here - and that state highway is the route to take to get to the North-South Interstate about 20 miles to the West down that highway. The closest large port is Tampa (a big port) about 60 miles South on the Interstate they were headed towards.

OK, military guys, what kind of missile do you think it is? All I can figure is an anti-ballistic missile missile that was to high altitude defend the nuclear power plant plus the others. While the nuclear power plant can never be demolished for radiation, it has been shutdown for a few years and probably now is "cool enough" to no longer poise a large scale radiation danger if blown up, though the coal burning plants remain and a huge natural gas generator is being added. The overall power unit provides electricity to millions of people and multiple major cities, plus is on the national grid of course. However, contemporaneous in time is the facility has laid off many hundreds of people.

I can't think of any other possible reason for that missile being here or passing thru here. Whether going North, South or East, there is no reason to go this way unless headed towards the Interstate (I 75). To the West is the Gulf. There is nothing notable down this state highway other than connection to I75. All I can think of it that it's coming from the nuclear power plant, which is a massive site that to this day is protected by guards on the ground, on the water in boats, and vehicles all armed with military rifles.

What is your guess what kind of missile that is? About 90 to 100 feet long, about 8 feet wide, bullet shaped nose and with a single rear nozzle the diameter of the missile? It was not on a trailer that is a mobile launcher setup.

 

[Bum]

I just saw the most unexpected thing. Leaving a warehouse we have on a state highway, I saw a bunch of vehicles coming with flashing yellow and white lights. The first 2 were white trucks with high poles off the front for height clearance safety. Two meant this isn't moving a house or big trailer. Behind was 6 more white SUVs also with a lot of flashing yellow lights. Then a semi truck.

The truck was towing a missile wrapped in black plastic. About 90 to 100 feet long and 8 foot in diameter. It had a round nose like a ball bullet and a huge single nozzle at the back. This was followed by 6 more white SUVs with flashing yellow lights and only 1 state trooper cruiser - this just before 10 PM. No local sheriff's vehicles or any other law enforcement, suggesting this is very secret since there is a large sheriff's department presence here.

This is a very small city on the Gulf of Mexico. There is no military base anywhere near here of any kind and the nearest sizable city is about 60 miles away (Tampa). I couldn't even guess what it could be for. Too long for a ship or sub, but seemed too short to be intercontinental nor would it make any sense to put an intercontinental missile here.

But there is something here. One of the oldest nuclear power plants in the country, but shut down for a cracked containment chamber too costly to repair, plus 4 coal burning plants - only about 10 miles by road from here - and that state highway is the route to take to get to the North-South Interstate about 20 miles to the West down that highway. The closest large port is Tampa (a big port) about 60 miles South on the Interstate they were headed towards.

OK, military guys, what kind of missile do you think it is? All I can figure is an anti-ballistic missile missile that was to high altitude defend the nuclear power plant plus the others. While the nuclear power plant can never be demolished for radiation, it has been shutdown for a few years and probably now is "cool enough" to no longer poise a large scale radiation danger if blown up, though the coal burning plants remain and a huge natural gas generator is being added. The overall power unit provides electricity to millions of people and multiple major cities, plus is on the national grid of course. However, contemporaneous in time is the facility has laid off many hundreds of people.

I can't think of any other possible reason for that missile being here or passing thru here. Whether going North, South or East, there is no reason to go this way unless headed towards the Interstate (I 75). To the West is the Gulf. There is nothing notable down this state highway other than connection to I75. All I can think of it that it's coming from the nuclear power plant, which is a massive site that to this day is protected by guards on the ground, on the water in boats, and vehicles all armed with military rifles.

What is your guess what kind of missile that is? About 90 to 100 feet long, about 8 feet wide, bullet shaped nose and with a single rear nozzle the diameter of the missile? It was not on a trailer that is a mobile launcher setup.

The description suggests a SLBM, but the dimensions are a bit off.

However, the way you describe the wrapping of the missile makes me think it was used as a static display at a park or museum....actual "in use" munitions would be moved in a completely different way.


There are/were many different types of ballistic missiles used by the Navy, if indeed that is what it was.



Generally, Anti ballistic missiles tend to be a bit smaller and more aerodynamic in shape....ie; needle pointed nose cones, as they move MUCH faster than ballistic missiles.

 

[joko104]

Your picture is too small to read. It looked in shape like the last one on the right (tallest) for the shape of the nose. There are no parks or anything else around suitable for a static display.

It was wrapped like how the wrap a big boat to move it, only in black wrapping instead of white. The rear nozzle gave it away as a missile, otherwise it could have been anything as big stuff is moved in all the time for the construction of the gas plant - but it was headed away. Where it was at is about 12 miles by road from the nuke plant. I don't think they would have that many vehicles involved in moving a static display. In addition, not involving the sheriff's department suggests this was done with maximum secrecy. Anytime something big, even just half of a double wide trailer there will be at least 4 sheriff's department vehicles nor could they have traveled any distance without the sheriff's department spotting it. This area has more law enforcement for size than any area I've ever seen as both a tourist area and very environmentally sensitive.

Because the nuclear power plant is so isolated and secured I suppose it could be or have been a ballistic missile site. I have no idea how big intercontinental missiles are. This missile was not small - but certainly not a massive space launch missile like used for the space shuttle. It was big and I didn't measure it. I only know it was almost as wide as a traffic lane and notably much longer than a semi trailer. I won't pretend I know what I don't. It just really surprised me as in "what the hell was THAT doing here?!" Other than the power plant there is NOTHING here possibly related or is that a passing-thru route.

It was longer than a semi trailer - but not greatly so. Could be as shorter than I thought - the only comparison is to a semi-trailer and it was longer - though not a great deal more thinking of width to length? By shape, it was the shape of a Trident II (I've been searching for shape), but looked longer than 44 feet.

 

[PirateMk1]

I just saw the most unexpected thing. Leaving a warehouse we have on a state highway, I saw a bunch of vehicles coming with flashing yellow and white lights. The first 2 were white trucks with high poles off the front for height clearance safety. Two meant this isn't moving a house or big trailer. Behind was 6 more white SUVs also with a lot of flashing yellow lights. Then a semi truck.

The truck was towing a missile wrapped in black plastic. About 90 to 100 feet long and 8 foot in diameter. It had a round nose like a ball bullet and a huge single nozzle at the back. This was followed by 6 more white SUVs with flashing yellow lights and only 1 state trooper cruiser - this just before 10 PM. No local sheriff's vehicles or any other law enforcement, suggesting this is very secret since there is a large sheriff's department presence here.

This is a very small city on the Gulf of Mexico. There is no military base anywhere near here of any kind and the nearest sizable city is about 60 miles away (Tampa). I couldn't even guess what it could be for. Too long for a ship or sub, but seemed too short to be intercontinental nor would it make any sense to put an intercontinental missile here.

But there is something here. One of the oldest nuclear power plants in the country, but shut down for a cracked containment chamber too costly to repair, plus 4 coal burning plants - only about 10 miles by road from here - and that state highway is the route to take to get to the North-South Interstate about 20 miles to the West down that highway. The closest large port is Tampa (a big port) about 60 miles South on the Interstate they were headed towards.

OK, military guys, what kind of missile do you think it is? All I can figure is an anti-ballistic missile missile that was to high altitude defend the nuclear power plant plus the others. While the nuclear power plant can never be demolished for radiation, it has been shutdown for a few years and probably now is "cool enough" to no longer poise a large scale radiation danger if blown up, though the coal burning plants remain and a huge natural gas generator is being added. The overall power unit provides electricity to millions of people and multiple major cities, plus is on the national grid of course. However, contemporaneous in time is the facility has laid off many hundreds of people.

I can't think of any other possible reason for that missile being here or passing thru here. Whether going North, South or East, there is no reason to go this way unless headed towards the Interstate (I 75). To the West is the Gulf. There is nothing notable down this state highway other than connection to I75. All I can think of it that it's coming from the nuclear power plant, which is a massive site that to this day is protected by guards on the ground, on the water in boats, and vehicles all armed with military rifles.

What is your guess what kind of missile that is? About 90 to 100 feet long, about 8 feet wide, bullet shaped nose and with a single rear nozzle the diameter of the missile? It was not on a trailer that is a mobile launcher setup.

Probably an aerospace firm in the area refurbished a peacekeeper LGM 118 missile. They are a 71ft long with a diameter of 7ft7in. Just under a hundred tons.

 

[Bum]

Your picture is too small to read. It looked in shape like the last one on the right (tallest) for the shape of the nose. There are no parks or anything else around suitable for a static display.

It was wrapped like how the wrap a big boat to move it, only in black wrapping instead of white. The rear nozzle gave it away as a missile, otherwise it could have been anything as big stuff is moved in all the time for the construction of the gas plant - but it was headed away. Where it was at is about 12 miles by road from the nuke plant. I don't think they would have that many vehicles involved in moving a static display. In addition, not involving the sheriff's department suggests this was done with maximum secrecy. Anytime something big, even just half of a double wide trailer there will be at least 4 sheriff's department vehicles nor could they have traveled any distance without the sheriff's department spotting it. This area has more law enforcement for size than any area I've ever seen as both a tourist area and very environmentally sensitive.

Because the nuclear power plant is so isolated and secured I suppose it could be or have been a ballistic missile site. I have no idea how big intercontinental missiles are. This missile was not small - but certainly not a massive space launch missile like used for the space shuttle. It was big and I didn't measure it. I only know it was almost as wide as a traffic lane and notably much longer than a semi trailer. I won't pretend I know what I don't. It just really surprised me as in "what the hell was THAT doing here?!" Other than the power plant there is NOTHING here possibly related or is that a passing-thru route.

It was longer than a semi trailer - but not greatly so. Could be as shorter than I thought - the only comparison is to a semi-trailer and it was longer - though not a great deal more thinking of width to length? By shape, it was the shape of a Trident II (I've been searching for shape), but looked longer than 44 feet.

It could very well have been a Trident II D5 body, but it wouldn't be an active missile as the warhead would be removed prior to transporting.....any nuclear or fissile material is transported separately by the Department of Energy Office of Secure Transportation.

You would never see state or local security escorts when such material is being moved around the US as the Nuclear Escort Security teams ( N.E.S.T) would appear to be nothing more than a normal 18 wheeler and some nondescript vans escorting it.

It seems more likely that the security was simply to assist in moving an over sized cargo down the road.

The missile was probably just shrink wrapped prior to transport to protect it from the elements, which is done quite frequently to stored equipment and transported equipment, as seen by the display missile below being delivered to a Museum.

 

[joko104]

It could very well have been a Trident II D5 body, but it wouldn't be an active missile as the warhead would be removed prior to transporting.....any nuclear or fissile material is transported separately by the Department of Energy Office of Secure Transportation.

You would never see state or local security escorts when such material is being moved around the US as the Nuclear Escort Security teams ( N.E.S.T) would appear to be nothing more than a normal 18 wheeler and some nondescript vans escorting it.

It seems more likely that the security was simply to assist in moving an over sized cargo down the road.

The missile was probably just shrink wrapped prior to transport to protect it from the elements, which is done quite frequently to stored equipment and transported equipment, as seen by the display missile below being delivered to a Museum.

View attachment 67248242

I would think the warhead would be removed. Hope so anyway! There's a lot of crazy old drivers around here. I've literally seen them run red lights in front of ambulances with their siren blowing!