Nike Missiles And Launch Site

Both the Nike Ajax and Nike Hercules missiles on display are not part of the original Sandy Hook arsenal. All the original missiles from Sandy Hook were removed despite the request from the National Park Service to save one to interpret the history of the Nike Missile program at Sandy Hook.

The U.S. Army was unable to fulfill the request from the National Park Service as they were following orders which were handed down as a result of the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (S.A.L.T.). The agreements between the United States of America and the Soviet Union were intended to restrain the nuclear arms race. As a result of S.A.L.T., the Treaty on Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) Systems was supposed to permit each side to have one limited ABM system to protect its capital and another to protect another missile launch area. The two sites must be at least 1,300 kilometers apart with no more than 100 missiles and 100 launchers. It was agreed that the treaty was to be reviewed in 5 years.