Cramer Visits Hill Air Force Base in Utah

Receives Air Force Brief on North Dakota's Role in Nation's Nuclear Deterrence Mission

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HILL AIR FORCE BASE, UTAH - One week after attending an Air Force town hall on nuclear modernization in Minot, U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), chair of the Senate Armed Services (SASC) Airland Subcommittee, visited Hill Air Force Base. This base is responsible for providing key logistical, maintenance, and operational support for the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), a central component of the nation's nuclear arsenal. They are housed at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota, the only base in the nation to house two legs of the nuclear triad. Cramer was briefed by Air Force leadership on the sustainment of the nation's ICBMs spread across North Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana and the development of their replacement called Sentinel.

Hill Air Force Base also maintains and supports the world's premiere multirole fighter aircraft, the F-35 Lightning II.

"Hill Air Force Base is a cornerstone of air and missile defense, supporting Minot's ICBMs, maintaining our country's fighting force, and ensuring military readiness across the world," said Cramer. "Not only is the base home to the incredible F-35 fighter jet, it's the proving ground for Sentinel. This next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile system will replace the aging Minuteman system deployed across North Dakota and serve as a foundational component of our nuclear deterrence. It's an honor to see the great, exciting work these airmen are doing."

The visit featured a tour of Hill Air Force Base's F-35 maintenance facility and Northrop Grumman's Promontory site and Roy Innovation Center. The Promontory site is tasked with manufacturing and testing ballistic missile rocket motors. The Roy Innovation Center serves as a headquarters for the company's work modernizing Sentinel ICBMs.