20 June 2002. Thanks to M, see related nuclear missile field:
NORTH DAKOTA
Rank: No. 5
Nuclear Warheads: 1140
Minot
AIR FORCE BASE
NORTH DAKOTA ranks 5th in number of nuclear warheads deployed, a decline
from 4th place in 1992 (when 1,650 warheads were deployed), and 3d in 1985.
There are two nuclear bases in the state, Minot AFB and
Grand Forks AFB. Minot
hosts a B-52H Bomb Wing and a Minuteman III ICBM wing. Grand Forks hosts
a missile wing but is in the process of transferring 150 Minuteman missiles
to Malmstrom. Though there will be no bombers or missiles there shortly a
weapons storage area will be maintained and hold nuclear contingency weapons.
Minot AFB, located 12 miles north of the town of Minot and about 100 miles
north of Bismarck, is host to bombers and missiles. A B-52H unit—the
5th Bomb Wing of the 8th Air Force, Air Combat Command—is armed with
an estimated 140 gravity bombs (50 B61-7 and 90 B83) and 300 stealth Advanced
Cruise Missiles (ACMs) and 100 ALCMs. The Minuteman III missiles at Minot
are subordinate to the 91st Space Wing (formerly Missile Wing) of the 20th
Air Force, Air Force Space Command. The 150 Minuteman III missiles (with
450 W78 warheads) controlled from Minot are dispersed over 8,500 square miles
in an arc from south of the base to within a mile or two of the Canadian
border.
In the early 1950s the Air Force began surveying the northern plains states
for suitable fighter-interceptor base locations, believing that the trans-polar
route would be how Soviet bombers would attack the U.S. Minot was chosen,
construction began in 1956, and the 5,minot-acre base opened the following
year. While it began as an Air Defense Command base, the first permanent
Strategic Air Command (SAC) unit came in 1958. Northern bases also offered
advantages for trans-polar attacks on the Soviet Union, and B-52 bombers
arrived in July 1961.
Construction of Minuteman I ICBM silos dispersed over 8,000 square miles
of North Dakota began in January 1962 and 150 missiles were operational by
April 1964. In 1970, a one year project to convert to the MIRVed Minuteman
III began. These essentially remain the 150 Minuteman III ICBMs at Minot
today, except for a W78/Mk12A warhead/reentry vehicle upgrade from December
1979 to February 1983.
The 91st Missile Wing at Minot received an NSI from February 19 to 26, 1993
and was rated excellent. ACC Nuclear Staff Assistance Visits (NSAVs) were
conducted at Minot in January and October 1993, and again in January 1995
in preparation for a 1995 “Enhanced” NSI. The 5th Bomb Wing received
a USAF Nuclear Surety Plaque in 1994 “for demonstrating outstanding
capability to support a nuclear airlift mission.” And it again received
a USAF Nuclear Surety Plaque in 1995 for “outstanding achievements”
and “contributions” to nuclear security during the ACC August enhanced
NSI. Another NSAV was conducted in February 1996, and from June 9-22, 1996,
the Wing underwent a Nuclear Operational Readiness Inspection (NORI). In
1994, the 321st Missile Group was also awarded the nuclear surety plaque
“for distinguished performance.” In 1995, the 321st and subordinate
squadrons again received an excellent/outstanding rating in its NSI.
