March 3 - 5, a 15 member delegation of the North Dakota Legislator was invited watch a Air Force Global Strike Command a test launch of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with two test re-entry vehicles. This launch was scheduled several years ago and is part of a regular testing system of our missile. There are only three minuteman systems in the United States with one being in Minot ND. The Minot Air Force also has a second leg of our nuclear triad which could be delivered by our air force. It should be noted that if North Dakota was a country of its own, we would be the 3 most powerful one based our nuclear ability. The actual launch was on March 3, at 11:01 p.m. Pacific Time from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.
The missile reached speeds of up to 18,000 mph, traveled 4200 miles in just under 30 minutes and hit an island in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands in south pacific ocean right where it was supposed to. It is a key component of a data-driven program that has been in place for decades, involving over 300 similar tests designed to validate the performance of the weapon system. The data collected from these routine tests is essential for ongoing and future force development. This test not only focused on the performance of the ICBM but also the performance of its multiple reentry vehicles, which are primarily used to increase missile effectiveness and overcome enemy defenses.
“Test launches are the most visible and vital way we verify our capabilities and validate the performance of our systems,” said Col. Dustin Harmon, 377 TEG commander. “The men and women of our missile community represent some of the most highly trained professionals in our nation's defense. These tests confirm their unmatched ability to support this critical mission and provide crucial data that ensures our systems remain ready and reliable.”
So why is it important for North Dakota legislators to be invited to such a launch? It was explained to us that we need to know the importance of our Air Force Bases are to the defense of our country and to the economic advancement to our state. As the Minuteman III remains on alert, the Air Force is committed to its replacement, the LGM-35A Sentinel, which represents the modernization of the land-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad. This Sentinel replacement project will take many years and will cost over a trillion dollars. This economical impact for build out and maintenance will also be very important. The modernization now underway will shape our state and our communities for decades to come, and ensuring North Dakota is prepared to support both the mission and the Airmen who serve here will require continued partnership across all levels of leadership. Task Force 21 of the Minot Air Force Base and the Minot Area Chamber EDC arranged this trip and paid for it. No State money was used in the expense of this trip and this was approved by the ND Ethic Commission.
Senator Don Schaible
dgschaible@ndlegis.gov
