U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-ND, a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee, joined the two officials to discuss his efforts to secure the administration’s fiscal year 2027 funding request for modernization of the base’s nuclear missile and bomber missions.

“We’re going to need to continue to fund the effort, which is no small lift. When you look at the numbers, you can see it’s a lot,” Hoeven said of the more than $8 billion for nuclear modernization in the FY 2027 bill. “We’re working very hard to get that done.”

The challenge, he added, is the entire defense community is seeking more funding, in part to keep up with fast-moving technology. For that reason, bringing Meink and White to Minot AFB is important as budgets are prepared, he said.

“For them to get an understanding of the mission as the only dual nuclear base, get a familiarity with the people and how they work and the mission set and the assets that are here and what needs to be done, obviously, that’s incredibly important. But then it’s also important for our men and women out at the Minot Air Force Base to see that the very top people are out there because they’re important to what we’re doing as a country,” Hoeven said.

Submitted Photo U.S. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink, left, and Sen. John Hoeven, right, tour a vehicle maintenance building at Minot Air Force Base Monday, June 29. Behind them is Gen. Dale White. with the Department of War. Hoeven is seeking federal funds to replace the existing vehicle maintenance complex with new facilities. Photo from the office of Sen. John Hoeven.

The 5th Bomb Wing has been engaged from the Middle East to the Pacific Rim recently, he said.

“So, having the top people come out and recognize their contribution is really important,” he said.

The FY 2027 legislation under discussion includes:

– $4.6 billion to advance the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile at Minot and bases in Wyoming and Montana.

– $1.9 billion to upgrade the B-52s at Minot and Barksdale in Louisiana, including new engines and radar systems.

– $1.5 billion for the Long Range Stand Off (LRSO) missile, to be carried on the B-52.

– $260 million to procure the MH-139 Grey Wolf helicopters. Hoeven said the new helicopter facility at Minot AFB will be completed in February, with helicopters beginning to arrive next year.

On top of the FY 2027 funding request is $232 million that Hoeven said he is working to include in the Military Construction Appropriations bill for the first two major Sentinel construction projects in Minot. Those projects are $108 million for the 130,000-square-foot Sentinel Security Forces Operations Complex and $124 million for the 82,000-square-foot Sentinel Consolidated Vehicle Maintenance Complex.

The operations complex will consolidate the existing seven buildings into one and will support more than 1,000 security personnel. The maintenance complex will consolidate five buildings into two. Once completed, the maintenance complex will nearly triple, from 500 to 1,400, the number of vehicles able to be maintained.

Meink, White and Hoeven also met with Minot’s base retention committee, Task Force 21. Hoeven said community input can be valuable to the Sentinel discussion by helping identify logistical issues around land acquisitions.

“That’s the kind of coordination and work that the local community can do with the Air Force. It will help the whole process,” Hoeven said.

Land acquisitions won’t be extensive because the Sentinel project will use existing properties for the new missiles for the most part. However, some acquisition will be necessary where changes need to occur, particularly due to wind farms and energy development, and for fiber optics and other new infrastructure, according to Hoeven.

Hoeven said he is working to accelerate funding for land acquisition, currently slated for 2028. He also seeks to accelerate the construction of silos for the Sentinel missiles at Minot, including the rapid identification of new locations for a limited number of missiles that could be developed without deactivating the existing Minuteman III missiles.

He noted the importance of getting Minot’s facilities ready now to ensure the base can effectively field the new systems as soon as they are developed. He would like to secure $180 million over the next several fiscal years for facilities in the base’s Weapons Storage Area that are necessary to ensure the base is prepared to perform the LRSO mission in the early 2030s as scheduled.

Additionally, Hoeven is supporting $67 billion in supplemental funding for the Department of War to replenish the nation’s arms stockpile following Operation Epic Fury and ensure the readiness of U.S. military forces. The request includes $800 million for the National Guard and $2.4 billion for drones. The North Dakota National Guard’s MQ-9 mission with unmanned aerial systems in Fargo has played a prominent role in the conflict with Iran.