5th BW successfully completes New START inspection

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Jose L. Hernandez
  • Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. --  Minot AFB successfully completed a New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (NST) inspection Dec. 1 when the 5th Bomb Wing was selected for a NST Air Base type One Inspection.

As part of the treaty implementation, a team of ten Russian Federation inspectors, escorted by eight Defense Threat Reduction Agency Escorts from Travis AFB, Calif., conducted a Type One inspection, designed to confirm the accuracy of the declared data on the number and types of heavy bombers at Minot AFB.

New START, which entered into force Feb. 5, 2011, calls for the United States and the Russian Federation to significantly reduce their strategic offensive armaments. It also allows for verification of data via national technical means (satellites) and onsite inspections.

According to the Minot AFB Arms Control Office, there are two types of inspections outlined in NST. A Type One inspection focuses on operational systems (such as the ICBMs and bombers at Minot AFB) and Type Two inspections focus on non-operational systems (such as those at a storage facility).

Under the treaty Minot is subject to up to four short-notice NST inspections per treaty year, two for the 91st MW and two for the 5th Bomb Wing. Minot AFB is a key player during New START inspections because it hosts both the Minuteman III ICBM and B-52H Stratofortress, both equipped with nuclear armaments.

Mr. Dennis Mikula, treaty compliance specialist, said once the base was notified of the inspection, the United States had 24 hours to get the inspectors on base. He added his team of experts were in charge of facilitating the overall inspection and ensured everything ran smoothly. He said it was important for the entire inspection sequence to flow adequately and to ensure everything went as scheduled.

"We built a schedule and timeline and were able to follow it successfully throughout the entire inspection," said Mikula.

Mikula attributed the success of the inspection to the hard work of all Team Minot members who always put forth their best at all times.

"The Minot Air Force Base team has spent countless hours writing and practicing plans," said Mikula. "We did anything from tabletop discussions to mock inspections in preparation for the first New START inspection."

With more New START inspections likely to follow in the future, Mr. Mikula said his team of experts will continue to make sure the base is ready to comply with the specific treaty obligations that affect base activities.