Minot Air Force Base Minot Air Force Base is a U . S . Air Force installation in Ward County , North Dakota , north of the city of Minot . In the 2010 census , the base was counted as a CDP with a total population of 5 , 521 . Minot AFB is the home of two major wings : the 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Missile Wing , both of the Air Force Global Strike Command ( AFGSC ) . Overview . Originally opened in 1957 as an Air Defense Command ( ADC ) base , it became a major Strategic Air Command ( SAC ) base in the early 1960s , with both nuclear - tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles and manned bombers and aerial refueling aircraft . When SAC was inactivated in 1992 , the nuclear mission of the base was divided between two commands , with missiles going to the Air Force Space Command ( AFSPC ) and manned bombers to the Air Combat Command ( ACC ) . With the establishment of the Air Force Global Strike Command ( AFGSC ) in 2009 , missiles and manned bombers ( excluding the B - 1 Lancer ) were transferred from AFSPC and ACC to AFGSC in the late 2009 and early 2010 . 5th Bomb Wing . The 5th Bomb Wing ( 5 BW ) is an element of the Global Strike Command ( AFGSC ) and is the host unit at Minot AFB ; its commander is dual - hatted as the installation commander and the unit is responsible for all base services , such as housing / billeting , medical , MWR , library , Officers ' Club , etc . The primary mission of the 5th Bomb Wing is to maintain and operate B - 52H bombers assigned to the 23d Bomb Squadron and the 69th Bomb Squadron . Minot AFB is one of two remaining bases with B - 52s ; the other is Barksdale AFB near Shreveport , Louisiana . The 5th Bomb Wing is composed of : 91st Missile Wing . The 91st Missile Wing ( 91 MW ) of the Air Force Global Strike Command ( AFGSC ) is responsible for maintaining the Minuteman III nuclear missile s located in three main fields across North Dakota . Previously known as the 91st Space Wing , it was renamed as a missile wing in June 2008 . It is one of the Air Force ’ s three operational intercontinental ballistic missile units , the others being at Malmstrom Air Force Base , Montana , and F . E . Warren Air Force Base , Wyoming . In addition to its missiles , the wing also operates a squadron of UH - 1N Twin Huey helicopters in support of missile and launch control sites . Operational groups of the 91st wing are : The 91st Operations Group is the operational backbone of the 91st Missile Wing , with its mission to defend the United States with safe and secure Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles ( ICBMs ) – ready to immediately put bombs on target . Through its five squadrons , the group remains a key facet of The United States ' deterrent force . The five squadrons assigned to the group are the : The 91st Maintenance Group is the maintenance backbone of the 91st Missile Wing . The group was originally activated as the 91st Maintenance and Supply Group on 10 November 1948 . Today , the group is responsible for providing maintenance and logistics support for the wing ’ s ICBM fleet . The two squadrons assigned to the group are : The 91st Security Forces Group provides command and control for three squadrons — the 791st Missile Security Forces Squadron , 91st Missile Security Forces Squadron and 91st Security Support Squadron — for the active defense of assets vital to national security . History . Construction of Minot AFB began in May 1956 , and the base officially opened on 10 January 1957 . Minot AFB is named for the nearby city of Minot , North Dakota . Air Defense Command . The initial USAF host unit was the Air Defense Command ( ADC ) 32d Air Base Group , activating on 8 February 1957 . The ADC 32d Fighter Group was the first operational unit at Minot , with its 433d Fighter - Interceptor squadron . However , no aircraft were assigned to the unit , and January 1958 the 433d FIS was inactivated . It was replaced in February 1960 by the 5th Fighter - Interceptor Squadron ( The Spittin Kittens ) was transferred to Minot from Suffolk County Air Force Base , New York . The 5th FIS flew the Convair F - 106 Delta Dart and later the F - 15A Eagle . A Semi Automatic Ground Environment ( SAGE ) facility was built and activated in June 1961 . The DC - 19 SAGE Data Center was housed in a huge , windowless blast - resistant concrete building with a pair of 275 - ton AN / FSQ - 7 computers . The computers processed air surveillance information and sent the data to Air Defense Command units . It was the only two - story SAGE blockhouse in ADC . The Minot SAGE facility was deactivated after less than two years of operation , in May 1963 , never being operational , and the AN / FSQ - 7s were never installed . However , DC - 19 was used as a Manual Control Center ( MCC ) . The facility was then renamed the PRIDE Building ( " Professional Results in Daily Effort " ) after ADC ' s and SAC ' s alternate motto of the 1960s and 1970s , and became a large office building housing many different organizations . Renamed Aerospace Defense Command in 1968 , ADC F - 106 operations continued at Minot until ADC was deactivated in 1979 and became a part of Tactical Air Command ( TAC ) as a subentity referred to as Tactical Air Command – Air Defense ( ADTAC ) . Strategic Air Command . Strategic Air Command ( SAC ) initially had units assigned to Minot AFB in 1958 for air refueling support . The 4136th Strategic Wing was formed 1 September 1958 , consisting of the 906th Air Refueling Squadron , followed by the 4136th Combat Defense Squadron that was activated on 1 June 1959 . The first SAC KC - 135A Stratotanker assigned , nicknamed " Miss Minot , " arrived on 23 September 1959 and remained on base until the 906th Air Refueling Squadron was relocated to Grand Forks AFB , North Dakota , in January 1994 . This aircraft was notable for its tail flash – " The Sun Never Sets on the 906th " . The scope of operations grew as the Air Force transferred the 525th Bombardment Squadron from the 19th Bombardment Wing at Homestead AFB , Florida , on 8 March 1961 , followed by the first B - 52H Stratofortress on 10 July 1961 , nicknamed " Peace Persuader " . This was preceded by the activation of the 60th Munitions Maintenance Squadron on 1 December 1960 , followed by 4136th Armament & Electronics Maintenance Squadron , 4136th Field Maintenance Squadron , and 4136th Organizational Maintenance Squadron 1 March 1961 , with the 4136th Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron being added in November 1962 . Demonstrating the capabilities of the B - 52 , on 10 – 11 January 1962 a B - 52H from the 4136th Strategic Wing at Minot set a new world distance record , flying unrelieved from Kadena AB , Okinawa to Torrejon AB , Spain . On 1 February 1963 , SAC , as part of a conversion to unit designations with historical significance , activated the 450th Bombardment Wing at Minot and the 720th Bombardment Squadron , along with the formation of the 450th Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron , 450th Armament & Electronics Maintenance Squadron , 450th Field Maintenance Squadron , and the 450th Organizational Maintenance Squadron simultaneously . In 1961 , the Air Force selected the land around Minot for a new Minuteman I ICBM complex . The 455th Strategic Missile Wing was activated in December 1962 along with the 455th Missile Maintenance Squadron . The 740th and 741st Strategic Missile Squadrons operationally controlled the ICBMs and in January 1963 , the 742d Strategic Missile Squadron was activated with a third squadron of Minuteman ICBMS . During the 1970s , the 150 missile sites around the region ( 10 – 70 miles from the base ) were converted to Minuteman III s ; a model of the older Minuteman I stands at the Minot AFB main gate . Command of Minot AFB passed from Air Defense Command to SAC in July 1962 as the base ' s primary mission changed from air defense to strategic deterrence . The new command unit , the 810th Air Division was organized along with the 862d Combat Support Group as the host unit for the base . Units assigned to the 862d Combat Support Group were the 862d Civil Engineering Squadron , the 862d Combat Defense Squadron ( later redesignated 862d Security Police Squadron ) , replacing the 4136th CDS ) , the 862d Food Service Squadron ( later redesignated 862d Services Squadron ) , 862d Operations Squadron ( later redesignated 862d Communications Squadron ) , 862d Supply Squadron and 862d Transportation Squadron , The 862d Medical Group was also formed and reported to the Commander , 810th Air Division . In July 1968 , the 450th Bombardment Wing and 455th Strategic Missile Wing were inactivated , being replaced by the 5th Bombardment Wing from Travis AFB , California , when jurisdiction of Travis was assumed by the Military Airlift Command and the 91st Strategic Missile Wing from Glasgow AFB , Montana , when Glasgow was closed . These changes were in line with the Air Force policy of keeping active those units with the most illustrious histories . The 23d Bombardment Squadron assumed operational control of all B - 52 aircraft for the 5th Bombardment Wing . Unit Designations Assigned at Minot on 25 June 1968 were the 5th Bombardment Wing and 23rd Bombardment Squadron , 5th Airborne Missile Maintenance Squadron , 5th Armament & Electronics Maintenance Squadron ( later redesignated as the 5th Avionics Maintenance Squadron ) , 5th Field Maintenance Squadron , 5th Organizational Maintenance Squadron & the 5th Munitions Maintenance Squadron . 91st Strategic Missile Wing [ Minuteman ] , 91st Missile Maintenance Squadron . On 2 July 1969 the 862d Medical Group was renamed the USAF Hospital . Minot , and the 862d Services Squadron was inactivated ; its functions were assumed by the 862d Combat Support Group . The 810th Strategic Aerospace Division was inactivated 30 June 1971 . The 862d Combat Support Group was deactivated on 31 July 1972 , with host unit duties being taken over by the 91st Combat Support Group ( SAC ) . Under SAC policy , missile wings were fixed in locations , where aircraft units were considered a mobile and the host units were assigned to the missile wings . Units assigned to the 91st Combat Support Group were the 91st Civil Engineering Squadron , the 91st Security Police Squadron , 91st Communications Squadron , 91st Supply Squadron and 91st Transportation Squadron , The USAF Hospital , MINOT . The 4th Post Attack Command & Control Squadron at Ellsworth AFB , SD maintained several EC - 135 " Looking Glass " Aircraft on an alert at MAFB for coverage of the missile squadrons as a secondary ( Airborne ) Launch Control Center . Late in 1973 a second Alert Parking Ramp ( " Christmas Tree " ) was added across the runway from the original facility , the 416th Bombardment Wing from Griffiss AFB , NY maintained two B - 52G ’ s with AGM - 28B Hound Dog Missiles and two KC - 135A aircraft along with two KC - 135 Aircraft from the 380th Bombardment Wing at Plattsburgh AFB , NY . On 2 January 1975 , the 57th Air Division was activated at MAFB , and on 30 September 1975 , the 91st Missile Maintenance Squadron was replaced by the 91st Field Missile Maintenance Squadron , and the 91st Organizational Missile Maintenance Squadron Following the 1980 Iran hostage crisis , SAC tasked the former 57th Air Division to organize the Strategic Projection Force . The 57th AD became the host unit , providing logistical , security , administrative and other support services to the 5th BMW , 91st SMW and tenant organizations . In the early 1990s the base prepared for change as the Air Force directed reorganization . Here , the 5th Bomb Wing assumed host base responsibilities . Modern era . On 1 June 1992 , Air Combat Command ( ACC ) was formed , with Strategic Air Command being inactivated . ACC absorbed the former assets of SAC , along with command responsibilities for the Eighth Air Force , and through it , the 5th Bomb Wing and host command of Minot Air Force Base . In 1993 control of the ICBM force was transferred by ACC to Air Force Space Command . The 91st Missile Wing was assigned to AFSPC on 1 July 1993 . Global Strike Command . The 91st Missile Wing was transferred to the new Air Force Global Strike Command 1 December 2009 . On 1 February 2010 the 5th BW officially transferred to AFGSC . Nuclear weapons incident . On 30 August 2007 , a B - 52 took off from Minot AFB carrying six cruise missiles with W - 80 nuclear warheads to Barksdale AFB in Louisiana . No base personnel nor the crew knew the nuclear weapons were aboard . This incident drew a national outcry . An investigation found that this was an isolated incident and that only a few people had information on the whereabouts of the missiles . While U . S . policy is to neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons , Air Force officials acknowledge the presence of nuclear weapons on the base , including the W80 - 1 warhead . Minot AFB nuclear inspection and consequences . Additionally on 12 July 2008 , three Air Force officers fell asleep while in control of an electronic component that contained old launch codes for nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles , a violation of procedure , Air Force officials said . The Air Force said the launch codes were outdated and had been deactivated before the incident , but it was still a violation of protocol , prompting an investigation . It is the fourth incident in the past year involving problems with secure handling of components of America ' s nuclear weapons . The incident occurred during the changing out of components used to facilitate secure communications between an underground missile - control facility and missile silos near Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota , according to Col . Dewey Ford , a spokesman for the Air Force Space Command in Colorado . One of the parts , a code component , is for storage and processing . It is considered classified by the Air Force . A code component was removed from the equipment at the remote missile - control facility and replaced with a new code component . That made the old component inoperable , but an Air Force source said old launch codes were still contained in the part . Under standard procedure , the four - officer crew of the facility is supposed to keep the component secure until it is returned to the base . Ford said the crew took the component to a building above the facility and locked the component in a lockbox . Then , three of the four crew members fell asleep . This violated Air Force procedure , which calls for at least two of the crew members to remain awake while in control of the component . At the time they were asleep , the crew and the component were in a locked building that is guarded by at least one armed airman at all times . The airmen were asleep for two to three hours , Ford said . The component was later returned to the Minot base , and the investigations of procedural violations were started by Air Force Space Command , the 20th Air Force and the National Security Agency . The investigation revealed the codes were not compromised , according to the Air Force . The codes had remained secured , and the crew was inside an area protected by Air Force security at all times , the investigation concluded . The incident , which was first made public by the Project on Government Oversight , was the fourth misstep involving the handling of America ' s nuclear weapons in the past year . The three officers were given non - judicial punishment and subsequently discharged from the Air Force . Another incident first reported in May 2013 by the Associated Press revealed that 17 officers in charge of maintaining the base ' s Minuteman III nuclear missiles were " sidelined " for numerous violations of safety procedures . The deputy commander of the base complained of " rot " in the staff ' s discipline and command structure . The Associated Press obtained an internal email from the deputy commander and the news of the incident has garnered the attention of Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel , who is " demanding details " of the incident . The unit in charge of maintaining the nuclear missiles performed poorly during an inspection that took place in March 2013 Following the release of the Deputy Commander ' s strongly worded internal email , the Air Force began investigating the incident further . Geography . According to the United States Census Bureau , the Minot AFB CDP has a total area of , of which , of it is land and of it ( 4 . 17 % ) is water . Due to the winter conditions , a phrase spread within the USAF regarding why people would not wish to be stationed there : " Why not Minot ? Freezin ' s the reason ! " And in response to that phrase people that loved Minot AFB , and the surrounding area , came up with the come back phrase " - 41 Keeps the RIF - Raf out " Demographics . As of the census of 2000 , there were 7 , 599 people , 2 , 112 households , and 1 , 943 families residing in the CDP . The population density was 1 , 053 . 9 people per square mile ( 406 . 9 / km² ) . There were 2 , 441 housing units at an average density of 338 . 5 / sq mi ( 130 . 7 / km² ) . The racial makeup of the CDP was 79 . 1 % European American , 10 . 2 % African American , 0 . 7 % Native American , 2 . 8 % Asian , 0 . 1 % Pacific Islander , 2 . 8 % from other races , and 4 . 2 % from two or more races . Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6 . 2 % of the population . There were 2 , 112 households out of which 68 . 6 % had children under the age of 18 living with them , 86 . 5 % were married couples living together , 3 . 0 % had a female householder with no husband present , and 8 . 0 % were non - families . 6 . 6 % of all households were made up of individuals and none had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older . The average household size was 3 . 25 and the average family size was 3 . 40 . In the CDP the population was spread out with 36 . 3 % under the age of 18 , 24 . 0 % from 18 to 24 , 38 . 1 % from 25 to 44 , 1 . 5 % from 45 to 64 , and 0 . 1 % who were 65 years of age or older . The median age was 22 years . For every 100 females there were 120 . 8 males . For every 100 females age 18 and over , there were 126 . 6 males . The median income for a household in the CDP was $ 32 , 255 , and the median income for a family was $ 32 , 306 . Males had a median income of $ 22 , 458 versus $ 16 , 659 for females . The per capita income for the town was $ 11 , 629 . About 5 . 0 % of families and 5 . 2 % of the population were below the poverty line , including 5 . 2 % of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over . Public schools . For its dependents , the base has three schools operated by Minot Public Schools : two elementary ( Dakota & North Plains ) and a middle school ( Memorial ) . High school students ( grades 9 – 12 ) attend Minot High School in the city of Minot , thirteen miles south . MHS is split between two campuses : Central Campus ( downtown ) for freshmen & sophomores , and the Magic City Campus ( on the southwest side of the city ) for juniors & seniors . Also in Minot is Bishop Ryan High School , a private Catholic secondary school , grades 6 – 12 .