Minot Air Force Base

Minot AFB is located 13 miles north of Minot, ND and is home to the 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Space Wing. The base covers 5,000 acres while its intercontinental ballistic missile complex covers more that 8,500 square miles of public land stretching across the NW part of the state. The 5th BW and its fleet of B-52 Stratofortress strategic combat force is capable of flying anywhere around the world and delivering a wide range of precision guided bombs and munitions. The 91st Space Wing is one of three intercontinental ballistic missile wings in the Air Force and maintains a force of 150 Minuteman III ICBMs on continuous 24-hour-a-day alert as well as a UH-IN helicopters assigned to the 54th Helicopter Flight. The base work force of about 6,000 military and civilians makes it one of the largest single employers in ND. The base population totals approximately 13,000 counting family members and local retirees. The base dates back to the 1950s when Minot businessmen and citizens donated approximately $50,000 to buy the first portions of land for the base. Ground breaking took place July 12, 1955, with construction following over the next several months. The Air Force accepted the first building on base Jan. 10, 1957.