As Congress scrambled to resolve the nation’s longest shutdown, lawmakers quietly steered hundreds of millions of dollars toward the Air Force’s two biggest nuclear modernization programs. The new three-bill funding package adds $204 million to the service’s construction budget for 2026 and[...]
Tag: Sentinel Program
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Former Minot AFB commander to lead Global Strike Command
BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. — Air Force Global Strike Command conducted a test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, on November 5, 2025. The test, designated GT 254, evaluated the ongoing reliability,[...]
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First Minuteman III missile silo taken offline in Wyoming
One of the nation’s aging Minuteman III missile silos has officially been taken offline, marking the first visible step toward the Air Force’s massive Sentinel modernization program. The shift, beginning at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, will eventually bring new[...]
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Wyoming could be the ‘guinea pig’ as U.S. modernizes its nuclear weapons
Wyoming is set to become the test ground for America’s next generation of nuclear missiles, but the rollout is already years behind schedule and billions over budget. The Sentinel program, meant to replace Cold War-era Minuteman III missiles, will bring sweeping construction,[...]
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Today’s ICBMs may operate until 2050, GAO says
The Air Force’s plan to replace the aging Minuteman III missiles is faltering so badly that officials may keep the 1970s-era system in service until 2050. A new GAO report points to soaring costs, flawed infrastructure plans, and staffing shortages as drivers[...]
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Project leaders hold Minot townhall on Sentinel progress
Modernizing a nuclear arsenal isn’t just about weapons—it’s about people, communities, and trust. At a town hall in Minot, Air Force leaders laid out the scope of the Sentinel missile replacement project, a decades-long effort to replace the aging Minuteman system. Residents[...]
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Town hall meeting scheduled for Sentinel Program
MINOT, N.D. — The U.S. Air Force will host a public town hall meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 26, at 5:30 p.m. in Ann Nicole Nelson Hall at Minot State University. The event will provide landowners and community members with information on the[...]
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With USAF approval, Northrop resumes work on new ICBM silos
Northrop Grumman is back to work on the Sentinel missile system after a costly pause, following ballooning expenses and a major program reset by the Air Force. With redesigned plans to build new launch facilities—since reusing old Minuteman III silos proved unworkable—the[...]
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Air Force using Sentinel money to retrofit Qatar jet
When the Air Force needed funds to convert a luxury Qatari jet into a temporary Air Force One, it dipped into money originally set aside for its troubled Sentinel missile program. Officials say the reallocation won’t delay the already over-budget, years-late missile[...]
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Minot AFB continues nuclear modernization with Detachment 12 activation
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. – Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, activated Sentinel Site Activation Task Force (SATAF) Detachment 12 during a ceremony here, May 21, 2025. The event marked a crucial step in preparing the[...]
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Sentinel project in Montana progresses — slowly
The Air Force is pushing forward with its $140 billion Sentinel missile upgrade—but the details remain hazy. At a recent town hall in Great Falls, officials offered more reassurance than answers. From workforce size to housing plans, even local impacts remain uncertain.[...]
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Malmstrom unarmed ICBM launched early Wednesday from Vandenberg
VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. — In the dark hours of May 21, a flash of light split the night sky along California’s coast, marking the successful launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile during operational test Glory Trip 253:[...]
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Sentinel ICBM program needs brand-new silos, Air Force says
What was once pitched as a cost-saving plan—reusing old missile silos for the Air Force’s next-gen Sentinel program—is now being scrapped. Instead, the military is preparing to dig hundreds of new silos across five states, citing risks and cost overruns tied to[...]
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Hoeven urges Sentinel program be done concurrently at ICBM bases
Minot Air Force Base is at the heart of a major modernization effort, and North Dakota leaders want to keep the upgrades moving swiftly. Sen. John Hoeven is pushing for simultaneous improvements at all three ICBM bases—Minot, F.E. Warren, and Malmstrom—arguing that[...]
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Community Leaders Advocate for Military Support Dollars At Legislature
Leaders from North Dakota communities with a military presence are lobbying the legislature for state support. Minot, Grand Forks, and Fargo are all in the game, with the hopes of delivering $1.9 million in state funding to the communities. Each would receive[...]
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MAFB Participates in Historic Agreement Signing over Sentinal Program
The Minuteman III missile silos around Minot and at other Air Force installations are overdue for an upgrade; getting that project underway requires the cooperation and support of many partners and Native American nations. Developing a construction program that’s inclusive of all[...]