09.29.14

Hoeven Completion of Major Runway Project Positions Minot Air Force Base for the Future

Senator Secured Federal Funding for Runway and Other Base Renovation Projects, Fought to Retain Missile Silos, Strengthen the Nuclear Triad

MINOT, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven has worked through his position on the Senate Appropriations Committee to fund major renovations on the Minot Air Force Base and today joined Air Force leaders, civilian employees and other dignitaries to celebrate the completion of the base’s new $57 million runway project.

The multi-year runway project is a key strategic asset to the base and can help extend its operational life, Hoeven said. The senator worked to secure federal funding for the runway repair project, including securing $11.4 million in Fiscal Year 2012, $12.5 million in Fiscal Year 2013 and $32.8 million in Fiscal Year 2014.

The project included repairs to the runway center keel and asphalt section. Repairing Minot’s runway was a top priority of the Air Force’s Global Strike Command and ensures that Minot’s 5th Bomb Wing can continue to perform its strategic deterrence mission. Minot Air Force Base is the only location in the United States to host nuclear-armed B-52s.

“Minot Air Force Base plays an important role in our nation’s defense, and we want it to continue to play that role well into the future,” said Hoeven. “This runway project is just one of the multiple projects that we worked to secure funding for that will help our men and women in uniform at Minot to fulfill their missions now and for years to come.”

In addition to the runway project the senator was instrumental in securing funding for a new control tower, base operations facility, dormitory and other infrastructure projects essential to extending the working life of the base. The senator also worked to time the funding to enable the base to continue operations while major infrastructure projects were completed.

Over the past four fiscal years, Hoeven has secured more than $181 million in construction funding for Minot Air Force Base to complete projects, including:

  • Control Tower/Base Operations Facility - $18.77 million
  • B-52 Two-Bay Phase Maintenance Dock - $34 million
  • B-52 3-Bay Conventional Munitions Maintenance Facility - $11.8 million
  • 168-room Dormitory - $22 million
  • Munitions Aero-space Ground Equipment Facility - $4.6 million
  • B-52 Aircraft Maintenance Facility - $15.53 million
  • B-52 Munitions Storage Igloos - $8.3 million
  • Fuel Pipeline Replacement - $6.4 million
  • High Fidelity Trainer Storage - $1.44 million
  • Multi-cube storage structure for conventional munitions - $2 million
  • Runway Replacement - $57 million

Hoeven has been a strong advocate for the nation’s Nuclear Triad, and used his position on the Appropriations Committee to secure the future of the missile silos at the Minot Air Force Base. The senator authored a provision in the Department of Defense (DoD) appropriations bill earlier this year that blocked the administration from following through on a plan to eliminate missile silos at the Minot base. The White House subsequently withdrew the plan.

Hoeven worked to include provisions in the Fiscal Year 2015 Department of Defense (DoD) Appropriations bill that will strengthen America’s national security and support missions at North Dakota’s bases. That includes $21.6 million for the Nuclear Force Improvement Program to refurbish ICBM launch control centers, improve access roads and replace and upgrade basic equipment used by ICBM and nuclear security forces personnel.

The base is now growing, the senator said. In August Hoeven announced that Minot Air Force Base would add 303 positions under the Air Force’s Nuclear Force Improvement Program.