Charles Crane/MDN Sen. John Hoeven, left, with William LaPlante, under secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, speaks at a press conference at the Jimmy Doolittle Center at Minot Air Force Base after a visit on Thursday to review efforts for the transition to the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile.

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE – A Pentagon official met with Sen. John Hoeven, R-ND, and other local leaders for a tour of Minot Air Force Base on Thursday, to discuss a re-evaluation of the construction plans for the transition to the new Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system.

The Sentinel program will replace the 400 Minuteman III ICBMs, which have been in service since the 1970s in missile fields at F.E. Warren AFB in Wyoming, Malmstrom AFB in Montana and Minot AFB.

Hoeven said the original plan was to have bases transition sequentially, but after the completion of the Nunn-McCurdy review of the Sentinel program, the option for partial concurrent construction at the three bases looks to be in the cards.

“The project is being re-evaluated. Not because the development of the technology isn’t on track. It is. You’re talking about new warheads and new delivery systems. This is a massive construction project. That’s what’s generating the costs, because the costs of pouring concrete and all those things is going up so much,” Hoeven said.

Hoeven touted Minot AFB’s unique dual role in the nuclear triad arsenal in its bomb and missile wings, and said the Minot community’s desire to be involved is integral to the concurrent plan to ensure this vital part of the U.S. nuclear triad is done as efficiently, cost effectively and timely as possible.

“We believe that by doing it across the three missile bases concurrently you spread that burden out, so that the communities are better able to handle it. You don’t flood out the zone, drive up the prices of concrete, lodging and everything else. This community and the state writ large will be a part of the actual solution, but to do that we have to be part of the planning process,” Hoeven said.

Hoeven’s sentiments were echoed by LaPlante, saying a more detailed plan for the construction should be finished in two months, which will aim to ensure that phase is done right.

“To the point of the senator, the experts of construction aren’t necessarily in the government only. They’re in industry, but most importantly they’re in the local community who understand many things about the roads, fiber and all the other elements. It’s really important that we do this planning of the construction together,” LaPlante said. “It also involves getting ready for all the jobs that will be needed and all the infrastructure needs.”

LaPlante said the work at the three bases wouldn’t be done completely in parallel, but that certain aspects could and should be done sooner, with work beginning at Minot AFB “fairly soon,” and as soon as two-three years and with the actual placement of the Sentinels expected in the early to mid-2030s. LaPlante and Hoeven had wrapped up a meeting with Minot Mayor Tom Ross and representatives of Task Force 21 shortly before the press conference, whom LaPlante described as, “dedicated patriots.”

“We want to do things that can be done in Minot that we know we have to do, to have them done as early as possible,” LaPlante said. “This is a critical asset that the U.S. government is going to use to help guide us with the local community. The local communities are the experts on these things that they can help us, and we need to use their expertise. The engagement is already happening, and in my view it needs to accelerate. The government has to be listening, not just transmitting.”

LaPlante and Hoeven stressed the importance of a swift transition to the Sentinel in order for the United States to advance the nation’s deterrence to meet the challengers in the nuclear field in China and Russia. LaPlante said it was imperative to upgrade the missile leg of the nuclear triad calling it the “cornerstone” for having a credible nuclear deterrent for decades to come.

“It is mandatory. The world unfortunately right now is in a dangerous place, and we need the nuclear deterrent to ensure the ultimate peace,” LaPlante said. “We use the triad every day. Our airmen and sailors are actively on post as they have for decades, that is used every day to keep the deterrence. That’s not something that’s a theory, that’s actually used every day.”

“The nuclear triad is the foundation on which all of our military forces or conventional forces stand. Any adversary has to know that they can never challenge us with a nuclear weapon. They can’t fight us on a conventional standpoint. If we’re not technologically superior in the nuclear arsenal to any adversaries, we won’t have that assurance that they won’t take us on,” Hoeven said.