Minot Air Force Base

Minot Air Force Base is a United States Air Force installation located in Ward County, North Dakota, approximately thirteen miles north of the city of Minot. Construction of the base began in May 1956, and it officially opened on January 10, 1957. Initially, it served as an Air Defense Command (ADC) base. In the early 1960s, Minot AFB transitioned into a major Strategic Air Command (SAC) base, housing both nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and manned bombers, along with aerial refueling aircraft. The base's primary mission evolved from air defense to strategic deterrence in July 1962.

Following the inactivation of SAC in 1992, the nuclear mission was divided, with missiles falling under Air Force Space Command and manned bombers under Air Combat Command. In 2009, with the establishment of Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC), both missile and manned bomber missions were transferred to AFGSC.

Minot AFB is currently operational and hosts two major wings: the 5th Bomb Wing and the 91st Missile Wing, both components of AFGSC. The 5th Bomb Wing operates B-52H Stratofortress bombers, while the 91st Missile Wing is responsible for maintaining Minuteman III nuclear missiles located in surrounding fields. The 91st Missile Wing also operates UH-1N Twin Huey helicopters in support of missile and launch control sites. The base has an elevation of 507.7 meters (1,666 feet) above mean sea level and features one concrete runway, designated 12/30, with a length of 4,022.7 meters (13,198 feet).