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Minot Air Force Base (IATA: MIB, ICAO: KMIB, FAA LID: MIB) is a U.S. Air Force installation in Ward County, North Dakota, 13 miles (21 km) north of the city of Minot. In the 2000 census, the base was counted as a CDP with a total population of 7,599. Minot AFB is the home of two major wings: the 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Missile Wing, both of the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). Originally opened in 1957 as an Air Defense Command (ADC) base, it became a major Strategic Air Command (SAC) base in the early 1960s, with both nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles and manned bombers and aerial refueling aircraft. When SAC was inactivated in 1992, the nuclear mission of the base was divided between two commands. HistoryConstruction of Minot AFB began in May 1956, and the base officially opened on January 10, 1957. Air Defense Command/Aerospace Defense Command and Tactical Air Command useThe initial USAF host unit was the Air Defense Command (ADC) 32d Air Base Group, activating on February 8, 1957. The ADC 32d Fighter Group was the first operational unit at Minot, with its 433d Fighter-Interceptor squadron. However, no aircraft were assigned to the unit, and January 1958 the 433d FIS was inactivated. It was replaced in February 1960 by the 5th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron (The Spittin Kittens) was transferred to Minot from Suffolk County Airport, NY. The 5th FIS flew the Convair F-106 Delta Dart. Renamed Aerospace Defense Command in the late 1960s, ADC F-106 operations continued at Minot until ADC was deactivated in 1979 and became a part of Tactical Air Command (TAC) as a subentity referred to as Tactical Air Command - Air Defense (ADTAC). A Semi Automatic Ground Environment (SAGE) facility was built and activated in June 1961. SAGE was housed in a huge, windowless blast-resistant concrete building with a pair of 275-ton computers. The computers processed air surveillance information and sent the data to Air Defense Command units. While the SAGE network operated until 1983, the Minot AFB website says the Minot SAGE facility was deactivated after less than two years of operation, in May 1963. The facility was then renamed the PRIDE Building ("Professional Results in Daily Effort") after ADC's and SAC's alternate motto of the 1960s and 1970s, and became a large office building (four stories including the basement) housing many different organizations. Strategic Air Command useThe Strategic Air Command (SAC) initially had units assigned to Minot AFB in 1958 for air refueling support. The 4136th Strategic Wing (4136 SW) was formed 1 September 1958, consisting of the 906th Air Refueling Squadron, followed by the 4136th Combat Defense Squadron that was activated on 1 June 1959. The first SAC KC-135A Stratotanker assigned, nicknamed "Miss Minot," arrived on 23 September 1959 and remained on base until the 906th Air Refueling Squadron was relocated to Grand Forks AFB, ND in January 1994. This aircraft was notable by its Tail Flash (Tail Flashes & Nose Art were authorized in the late 1980s) - "The Sun Never Sets on the 906th". The scope of operations grew as the Air Force transferred the 525th Bombardment Squadron from the 19th Bombardment Wing at Homestead AFB, FL) on 8 March 1961, followed by the first B-52H Stratofortress on 10 July 1961, nicknamed "Peace Persuader". This was preceded by the activation of the 60th Munitions Maintenance Squadron on 1 December 1960, followed by 4136th Armament & Electronics Maintenance Squadron, 4136th Field Maintenance Squadron, and 4136th Organizational Maintenance Squadron 1n March 1961, with the 4136th Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron being added in November 1962. Demonstrating the capabilities of the B-52 bomber, on 10–11 January 1962, a B-52H from the 4136th Strategic Wing at Minot set a new distance in a straight line world record, flying unrelieved 12,532 miles from Kadena AB, Okinawa to Torrejon AB, Spain. On 1 February 1963, SAC, as part of a conversion to convert to unit designations with historical importance, activated the 450th Bombardment Wing at Minot and 720th Bombardment Squadron, along with the formation of the 450th Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron, 450th Armament & Electronics Maintenance Squadron, 450th Field Maintenance Squadron, and the 450th Organizational Maintenance Squadron simultaneously. In 1961, the Air Force selected the land around Minot for a new Minuteman I ICBM complex. The 455th Strategic Missile Wing was activated in December 1962 along with the 455th Missile Maintenance Squadron. The 740th and 741st Strategic Missile Squadrons operationally controlled the ICBMs and in January 1963, the 742d Strategic Missile Squadron was activated with a third squadron of Minuteman ICBMS. During the 1970s, the 150 missile sites around the region (10–70 miles from the base) were converted to Minuteman IIIs; a model of the older Minuteman I stands at the Minot AFB main gate. Command of Minot AFB passed from Air Defense Command (ADC) to the Strategic Air Command (SAC) in July 1962 as the base's primary mission changed from air defense to strategic deterrence. The new command unit, SAC's 810th Air Division (810 AD) was organized along with the 862d Combat Support Group (SAC) as the host unit for the base. Units assigned to the 862d Combat Support Group were the 862d Civil Engineering Squadron, the 862d Combat Defense Squadron (later: redesignated 862d Security Police Squadron), replacing the 4136th CDS), the 862d Food Service Squadron (later: redesignated 862d Services Squadron), 862d Operations Squadron (later: redesignated 862d Communications Squadron), 862d Supply Squadron and 862d Transportation Squadron, The 862d Medical Group was also formed and reported to the Commander, 810th Air Division. In July 1968, the 450th BW and 455th SMW were inactivated, being replaced by the 5th Bombardment Wing from Travis AFB, California, when jurisdiction of Travis was assumed by the Military Airlift Command and the 91st Strategic Missile Wing from Glasgow AFB, Montana, when Glasgow was closed. These changes were in line with the Air Force policy of keeping active those units with the most illustrious histories. The 23d Bombardment Squadron assumed operational control of all B-52 aircraft for the 5th BW. Unit Designations Assigned at Minot on June 25, 1968 were the 5th Bombardment Wing and 23rd Bombardment Squadron, 5th Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron, 5th Armament & Electronics Maintenance Squadron (later: redesignated as the 5th Avionics Maintenance Squadron), 5th Field Maintenance Squadron, 5th Organizational Maintenance Squadron & the 5th Munitions Maintenance Squadron. 91st Strategic Missile Wing [Minuteman], 91st Missile Maintenance Squadron. On July 2, 1969 the 862d Medical Group was renamed the USAF Hospital. Minot, and the 862d Services Squadron was inactivated; its functions were assumed by the 862d Combat Support Group. The 810th Strategic Aerospace Division was inactivated 30 June 1971. The 862d Combat Support Group was deactivated on July 31, 1972, with host unit duties being taken over by the 91st Combat Support Group (SAC). Under SAC policy, missile wings were fixed in locations, where aircraft units were considered a mobile and the host units were assigned to the missile wings. Units assigned to the 91st Combat Support Group were the 91st Civil Engineering Squadron, the 91st Security Police Squadron, 91st Communications Squadron, 91st Supply Squadron and 91st Transportation Squadron, The USAF Hospital, MINOT. The 4th Post Attack Command & Control Squadron at Ellsworth AFB, SD maintained several EC-135 “Looking Glass” Aircraft on an alert at MAFB for coverage of the missile squadrons as a secondary (Airborne) Launch Control Center. Late in 1973 a second Alert Parking Ramp ("Christmas Tree") was added across the runway from the original facility, the 416th Bombardment Wing from Griffiss AFB, NY maintained two B-52G’s with AGM-28B Hound Dog Missiles and two KC-135A aircraft along with two KC-135 Aircraft from the 380th Bombardment Wing at Plattsburgh AFB, NY. On January 2, 1975, the 57th Air Division was activated at MAFB, and on September 30, 1975, the 91st Missile Maintenance Squadron was replaced by the 91st Field Missile Maintenance Squadron, and the 91st Organizational Missile Maintenance Squadron Following the 1980 Iran hostage crisis, SAC tasked the former 57th Air Division to organize the Strategic Projection Force. The 57th AD became the host unit, providing logistical, security, administrative and other support services to the 5th BMW, 91st SMW and tenant organizations. In the early 1990s the base prepared for change as the Air Force directed reorganization. Here, the 5th Bomb Wing assumed host base responsibilities. Air Combat Command/Air Force Space Command useOn 1 June 1992, Air Combat Command (ACC) was formed, with Strategic Air Command being inactivated. ACC absorbed the former assets of SAC, along with command responsibilities for the Eighth Air Force, and through it, the 5th Bomb Wing and host command of Minot Air Force Base. In 1993 control of the ICBM force was transferred by ACC to Air Force Space Command. The 91st Missile Wing was assigned to AFSPC on 1 July 1993. Global Strike Command useThe 91st Missile Wing was transferred to the new Air Force Global Strike Command 1 December 2009. On 1 February 2010 the 5th BW officially transferred to AFGSC. Current units and missions5th Bomb Wing
The 5th Bomb Wing (5 BW) is an element of the Global Strike Command (AFGSC) and is the host unit at Minot AFB; its commander is dual-hatted as the installation commander and the unit is responsible for all base services, such as housing/billeting, medical, MWR, library, Officers' Club, etc. The primary mission of the 5th Bomb Wing is to maintain and operate B-52H bombers assigned to the 23d Bomb Squadron and the 69th Bomb Squadron. Minot AFB is one of two remaining bases with B-52s; the other is Barksdale AFB near Shreveport, Louisiana. The 5th Bomb Wing is composed of:
91st Missile WingThe 91st Missile Wing (91 MW) of the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) is responsible for maintaining the Minuteman III nuclear missiles located in three main fields across North Dakota. Previously known as the 91st Space Wing, it was renamed as a missile wing in June 2008 It is one of the Air Force’s three operational intercontinental ballistic missile units, the others being at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, and F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming. In addition to its missiles, the wing also operates a squadron of UH-1N Twin Huey helicopters in support of missile and launch control sites. Operational groups of the 91st wing are:
Nuclear weapons incidentOn August 30, 2007, a B-52 took off from Minot AFB carrying six cruise missiles with W-80 nuclear warheads to Barksdale AFB in Louisiana. No base personnel and crew knew the nuclear weapons were aboard. This incident drew a national outcry. An investigation found that this was an isolated incident and that only a few people had information on the whereabouts of the missiles. While U.S. policy is to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons, Air Force officials acknowledge the presence of nuclear weapons on the base, including the W80-1 warhead. Minot AFB nuclear inspection and consequencesAdditionally on 12 July 2008, three Air Force officers fell asleep while in control of an electronic component that contained old launch codes for nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles, a violation of procedure, Air Force officials said. The Air Force said the launch codes were outdated and had been deactivated before the incident, but it was still a violation of protocol, prompting an investigation. It is the fourth incident in the past year involving problems with secure handling of components of America's nuclear weapons. The incident occurred during the changing out of components used to facilitate secure communications between an underground missile-control facility and missile silos near Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, according to Col. Dewey Ford, a spokesman for the Air Force Space Command in Colorado. One of the parts, a code component, is for storage and processing. It is considered classified by the Air Force. A code component was removed from the equipment at the remote missile-control facility and replaced with a new code component. That made the old component inoperable, but an Air Force source said old launch codes were still contained in the part. Under standard procedure, the four-officer crew of the facility is supposed to keep the component secure until it is returned to the base. Ford said the crew took the component to a building above the facility and locked the component in a lockbox. Then, three of the four crew members fell asleep. This violated Air Force procedure, which calls for at least two of the crew members to remain awake while in control of the component. At the time they were asleep, the crew and the component were in a locked building that is guarded by at least one armed airman at all times. The airmen were asleep for two to three hours, Ford said. The component was later returned to the Minot base, and the investigations of procedural violations were started by Air Force Space Command, the 20th Air Force and the National Security Agency. The investigation revealed the codes were not compromised, according to the Air Force. The codes had remained secured, and the crew was inside an area protected by Air Force security at all times, the investigation concluded. The incident, which was first made public by the Project on Government Oversight, was the fourth misstep involving the handling of America's nuclear weapons in the past year. The three officers were given non-judicial punishment and subsequently discharged from the Air Force. Tragically, another incident in May 2008, an Air Force airman, drove his 2008 Ford F-150 into a farmers field while responding to a nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile silo. The incident happened when the airman decided to go "baha-ing" in a farmers field, in-turn, causing the vehicle to get high-centered, and causing thousands of dollars of damage to the local ecosystem. Under standard procedure; the airman was supposed to follow the road to the site, but the airman decided to take a shortcut. Noticing the flooded field in front of him, the airman decided to speed up which in the end, caused the airman to lose control of the vehicle. Investigations of procedural violations were investigated by the 91st Security Forces Group and led to the firing of 91st Security Forces Group Leadership due to the lack of ability to command. GeographyMinot AFB is located at 48°24′59″N 101°19′39″W / 48.41639°N 101.3275°W. According to the United States Census Bureau, the Minot AFB CDP has a total area of 7.6 square miles (19.7 km²), of which, 7.2 square miles (18.7 km²) of it is land and 0.4 square miles (1.0 km²) of it (5.01%) is water. DemographicsAs of the census of 2000, there were 7,599 people, 2,112 households, and 1,943 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,053.9 people per square mile (406.9/km²). There were 2,441 housing units at an average density of 338.5/sq mi (130.7/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 79.14% White, 10.23% African American, 0.70% Native American, 2.84% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 2.80% from other races, and 4.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.17% of the population. There were 2,112 households out of which 68.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 86.5% were married couples living together, 3.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 8.0% were non-families. 6.6% of all households were made up of individuals and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.25 and the average family size was 3.40. In the CDP the population was spread out with 36.3% under the age of 18, 24.0% from 18 to 24, 38.1% from 25 to 44, 1.5% from 45 to 64, and 0.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 120.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 126.6 males. The median income for a household in the CDP was $32,255, and the median income for a family was $32,306. Males had a median income of $22,458 versus $16,659 for females. The per capita income for the town was $11,629. About 5.0% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.2% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over. Public schoolsFor its dependents, the base has three schools operated by Minot Public Schools: two elementary (Dakota & North Plains) and a middle school (Memorial). High school students (grades 9-12) attend Minot High School in the city of Minot, thirteen miles south. MHS is split between two campuses: Central Campus (downtown) for freshmen & sophomores, and the Magic City Campus (on the southwest side of the city) for juniors & seniors. Also in Minot is Bishop Ryan High School, a private Catholic secondary school, grades 6-12. 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