One mine is closed, and thousands are ahead
The US Air Force has taken the first real step towards replacing its ground—based nuclear triad: the LF 5E10 launch complex, the first operational Minuteman III missile silo, was officially decommissioned at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. It's not just dismantling the equipment. This is a symbolic and technical start of a large-scale operation to upgrade the entire system of ground-based intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
Now the way is open for a new era, the Sentinel era.
Minuteman leaves, Sentinel goes
Minuteman III has been serving America since the 1970s. It was a long-lived rocket that went through the cold of the Cold War and the new challenges of the 21st century. But technology is becoming obsolete, spare parts are disappearing, and threats are becoming more complex. It is being replaced by Sentinel, a new ICBM designed specifically for the conditions of the 2030s and beyond.
The replacement is not just an upgrade, but a reboot of the entire infrastructure: mines, control systems, communications and protection. Sentinel will be faster, more reliable, and more resilient to new threats, including cyberattacks and hypersonic interceptors.
Not a reduction, but an update
The Air Force emphasizes that the withdrawal of one mine does not mean a reduction in combat readiness. The total number of deployed nuclear missiles will remain at 400 units, as required by strategic agreements. It's just that now these missiles will be new, and the old ones will gradually be scrapped.
The process will take a decade. Every closed mine is not a loss, but part of a modernization plan.
What's changing at Warren Base in Wyoming
Warren Air Force Base is one of the three main ICBM bases in the United States. This is where the process began: the dismantling of the LF 5E10 is a test site for everything that needs to be done in Montana, North Dakota and other states. The work is carried out carefully, taking into account safety and ecology.
Engineers are currently studying how to quickly and safely dismantle old complexes to make room for new ones. What happens in Wyoming will become a template for the whole country.
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