{"id":40193,"date":"2024-04-24T17:54:54","date_gmt":"2024-04-24T17:54:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2024\/04\/24\/minot-afb-to-receive-850-million-for-nuclear-weapons-upgrades\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:19:09","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:19:09","slug":"minot-afb-to-receive-850-million-for-nuclear-weapons-upgrades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2024\/04\/24\/minot-afb-to-receive-850-million-for-nuclear-weapons-upgrades\/","title":{"rendered":"Minot AFB to receive $850 million for nuclear weapons upgrades"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Minot Air Force Base is in line for a nuclear-sized upgrade as the Department of Defense plans to update its nuclear deterrence capability across the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the Task Force 21 North Dakota Nuclear Triad Symposium in Minot on Tuesday, members of the military, nuclear weapons experts and state lawmakers talked about the importance of upgrading an aging nuclear arsenal and its delivery methods, as China and other adversaries have increased their own defense budgets in recent years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the next 12 years, the DOD plans to upgrade each leg of the nuclear triad that consists of intercontinental ballistic missiles, bomber aircraft and nuclear ballistic missile submarines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The military\u2019s Minuteman III nuclear ICBMs, which have been in service since the late 1970s, will be replaced with the Sentinel missile system<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Col. Tytonia Moore, deputy director of ICBM modernization, said the Air Force will replace 400 Minuteman III missiles nationwide. Of those, 150 missiles are in North Dakota, which will lead to an estimated $850 million in funding to upgrade Minot Air Force Base facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said the Air Force plans to reuse as many of the Minuteman III facilities as possible since the missile systems are similar in size. However, additional construction of new facilities will also be needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven though it\u2019s a new system, we want to take advantage of lease agreements and the property, etc., which hopefully makes it more cost effective,\u201d Moore said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said the DOD plans on installing an additional 939 miles of utility corridors to the new facilities near the base. Moore added that building the facilities will bring up to 3,000 workers to the area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Moore said the Sentinel program is also experiencing critical cost overruns of about 37%, and now requires more oversight from Congress and DOD before construction can begin. Prior to the cost overruns, construction was expected to begin on Minot AFB in 2027, but plans are on hold until the program is reevaluated.<\/p>\n\n\n\t