By April 1958, the first tactical type launcher had been completed and successfully tested with the lightweight erection equipment (primarily a long boom and cables). Shortly after that came R&D prototype items such as the launcher auxiliary rings, hydro- pneumatic trailer, azimuth laying equipment, intra- squadron communication equipment, supervisory control system, missile transporter, launcher transporter, LOX transfer trailer, propulsion components tester, and other related items of equipment involving both the physical handling and testing of the missile. At the Design Engineering Inspection held on 7-10 October 1958, the GSE performed well and demonstrated that the JUPITER system could meet the 15-minute countdown-to-liftoff sequence 82 . Progress in the GSE field was far from systematic, though. Basically, the problem was delivery of the tactical item by the manufacturer after the prototype had been submitted by ABMA for fabrication. Also, the Air Force had submitted more than 70 alteration requests, which, in part, may have caused some of the manufacturing difficulties. Then, in November 1958, the mobility factor was deleted from the JUPITER program. This meant there would be a triple launch control trailer (LCT), as opposed to the single LCT that was necessary in a mobile weapon system. Additionally, this action eliminated the cable and launcher transporters 83 . Together, all of these actions could have delayed the deployment of the system until reorientation plans could have been completed, but the lack of agreement with the host country, in the long run, provided ample time. _____________________________

82. JUP Prog Rpt for Apr 58, 8 May 58; JUP Prog Rpt for May 58, 8 Jun 58; JUP Prog Rpt for Oct 58, 8 Nov 58, Hist Off files. 83. JUP Prog Rpt for Nov 58, 8 Dec 58, Hist Off files.