07.17.17

Hoeven Secures $27 Million for Minot Air Force Base Firing Range in FY18 Military Construction Funding Bill

Senator Has Been Pressing Air Force to Upgrade Range, Provide Timeline for Upgrading Weapons Storage Facility at MAFB

WASHINGTON – Senator John Hoeven, a member of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (VA) Appropriations Committee, today announced that the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Military Construction Appropriations bill includes $27 million for an indoor firing range at Minot Air Force Base. 

Additionally, Hoeven worked to include a provision in the FY18 funding bill directing the Air Force to provide a timeline for upgrading ICBM infrastructure including electrical lines and the Weapons Storage Facility at Minot Air Force Base. The bill was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee Thursday and will now go to the full Senate for consideration.

“We’ve been pressing the Air Force to build a new indoor firing range at Minot Air Force Base to replace the existing outdoor range. This $27 million will help us build a fully enclosed firing range to ensure that our airmen and women can adequately complete their training and do so in safe conditions,” said Hoeven. “In addition, we also included a provision requiring the Air Force to report to Congress with a timeline for upgrading important ICBM infrastructure, including the Weapons Storage Facility at Minot Air Force Base. Maintaining our nuclear deterrent is more important now than ever.” 

  • Minot Air Force Base Indoor Firing Range - $27 million – The existing firing range does not meet Air Force training standards and poses increasing health and safety risks to airmen. A new range will reduce air quality concerns, provide higher quality training with lower maintenance costs and ensure the range is available regardless of winter weather conditions. The new facility would provide greater capacity than the current range, consolidating four existing buildings into one fully enclosed firing range facility.
  • ICBM Infrastructure Report – The committee included a Hoeven initiative directing the Air Force to report to Congress on the status of infrastructure related to the intercontinental ballistic missile force. According to the language, the report will include a review of aging electrical lines that provide power to the ICBMs and when the Air Force will need to upgrade these power lines.  The report will also include an estimated timeline to upgrade the Weapons Storage Facility at Minot Air Force Base.

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