U.S. Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) this week continued efforts to help keep America’s nuclear modernization efforts on track and to ensure that Minot Air Force Base in Ward County, N.D., is prepared to field next-generation weapons systems.
On Monday, the lawmaker convened a roundtable in Minot, N.D., with U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Colin Connor, director of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Modernization, and members of Task Force 21 to discuss the progress of the Sentinel ICBM program, in which the Air Force plans to upgrade the Minuteman III missile system to the Sentinel across what’s known as the Global Strike Command.
Hoeven said this means major changes to Minot, as well as bases in Montana and Wyoming, and he stressed the need for the upgrades, the goal of upgrading all the bases at the same time, and coordinating with community partners.
“We’re working across the DOD to keep our nuclear modernization efforts moving forward, and today’s meeting with MG Connor is an important step in that process,” said Hoeven on Monday. “We appreciate him coming to Minot to meet directly with our community leaders on accelerating the Sentinel program.”
According to the senator’s staff, the discussion built upon Hoeven’s work in the U.S. Senate to secure key provisions in fiscal year (FY) 2026 defense and military construction funding.
As a member of the committees overseeing those bills, Hoeven is advancing measures to provide $2.6 billion for the Sentinel ICBM program, on top of $2.5 billion in the recently passed One Big Beautiful Bill, for a total of $5.1 billion in FY 2026; to direct the Air Force to produce a plan and timeline for concurrently building Sentinel launch facilities at all three U.S. missile bases; to fully fund the Long Range Stand Off (LRSO) missile program and upgrades to the B-52 bomber fleet; and to prioritize security upgrades to Minot Air Force Base’s existing Weapons Storage Area to support the new LRSO missile, staff said.
The Air Force plans to bring the Sentinel missile online in the early 2030s and Hoeven emphasized that advancing the concurrent construction directive is crucial to meeting that schedule.
“Through my role on the Senate Defense and Military Construction Appropriations committees, I’m working to give [Connor] the funding and tools he needs to accomplish this critical task, including legislation that directs the Air Force to develop a plan for concurrently constructing missile launch facilities at all three ICBM bases,” Hoeven explained. “That’s essential to move up Sentinel’s timeline and reduce construction costs.”
At the same time, he added, Congress is advancing measures to ensure Minot is ready to bring the new weapons systems online as soon as possible.