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New helicopters ahead for Minot AFB, other missile bases

MH-139A Grey Wolf unveiled

The new MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters will provide security and support for the nation’s intercontinental ballistic missile fields which span North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado and Nebraska. Other mission capabilities include civil search and rescue, airlift support, National Capital Region missions, as well as survival school and test support.

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE – Minot Air Force Base and other intercontinental ballistic missile bases are getting closer to getting new MH-139A helicopters.

The MH-139A helicopter is replacing the Vietnam-era UH-1N Hueys that provide security and support for the intercontinental ballistic missile fields in North Dakota and other states. The new helicopters with their new livery were unveiled and their name announced at Duke Field, Fla., this past December.

Gen. Timothy Ray, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, announced the MH-139A helicopter has been named the “Grey Wolf,” according to Global Strike Command. The name Grey Wolf is derived from the wild species that roams the northern tier of North America, which also encompasses the ICBM bases in Air Force Global Strike Command. The Air Force will procure up to 84 MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters, training devices and associated support equipment from Boeing.

Besides Minot AFB, F.E. Warren AFB in Wyoming and Malmstrom AFB in Montana will be getting the new helicopters.

Currently the design of the new Helicopter Operations and Tactical Response Force Facility to be constructed at the Minot base is at 95 percent completion, with the 100 percent design completion to come next, according to Minot AFB Public Affairs.

The contract has not been awarded yet so an exact price hasn’t been offered, but it is possible it will be awarded in summer 2020. Since this project hasn’t been awarded yet, there also isn’t a set date for groundbreaking just yet.

Based off the 95 percent design is the size of the facility which relates to cost. Currently, the three-bay base bid will result in a 127,000-square-foot facility (rounding to 127,000). There is a bid option for a fourth bay that will increase the square footage of the entire facility to 133,000 square feet. The entire facility will consist of cold storage bays along with maintenance bays and alert hangars, Cushing said.

Minot AFB currently has eight UH-1N Hueys. The Air Force plans for the MH-139 to reach its initial operating capability in 2023. Minot AFB is expected to begin receiving 11 MH-139s in that timeframe, according to Sen. John Hoeven’s office.

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