Minot AFB accomplishes historic first during Combat Ammunition Production Exercise Published July 3, 2025 By Senior Airman Kendra A. Ransum 5th Bomb Wing Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The 5th Munitions Squadron hosted its first Combat Ammunition Production Exercise (CAPEX) here from June 22-27, marking a significant milestone for Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). The exercise tested 5th Bomb Wing Airmen’s capacity to mass-produce conventional munitions in a simulated wartime scenario—while also breaking CAPEX production records across the board. Originally established by Pacific Air Forces in 1987, CAPEX is an annual exercise designed to evaluate munitions production capabilities and validate support plans in alignment with operational requirements. This is AFGSC’s third year participating in a CAPEX, starting at Barksdale AFB in 2023, then Ellsworth AFB last year, and now here at Minot AFB. “CAPEX is a way for us to build up all of our conventional munitions, get them in, check and see where our faults are, where we can improve and see what our strengths are as well,” said Tech. Sgt. Joshua Richardson, training section chief of the 5th Munitions Squadron (5MUNS). This year’s exercise brought together approximately 248 personnel, including teams from Beale AFB, Kirtland AFB, Malmstrom AFB and Vandenberg Space Force Base. “It was imperative that we had their job knowledge to do all the tear downs and everything else,” said Richardson. “Otherwise, this exercise may not have been as successful.” The small bombs pad teams were responsible for assembling various 500-pound bomb body variants, ranging from MK-82 conicals to GBU-38’s to GBU-54’s and all the variants in between. The production line utilized the munitions assembly conveyor (MAC) system, enabling efficient throughput from gantry onload to final trailer staging. Throughout each stage of the process and across many technical steps and movements, the 5MUNS Airmen demonstrated poise and proficiency, Richardson explained. Minot's CAPEX not only tested munitions production, but also incorporated an integrated load exercise for the first time. “With the CAPEX, we had a load exercise in conjunction, which once again is the first ever,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Christopher Standard, 5MUNS munitions operations section chief. “We produced the bombs and then those bombs went out to two B-52s where the load crews had to go through and load every single one of those munitions.” Standard emphasized the magnitude of the exercise in both scale and impact. “The CAPEX is an exercise to test how quickly we can produce ammo,” said Standard. “In its 30-year history, this is the first time it's come to Minot.” That output also translated into a record-setting number of individual asset builds, producing over 350,000 pounds of net explosive weight. Over 1200 assets were produced for this CAPEX, the largest frag in CAPEX history. The exercise had a clear training focus, offering younger Airmen hands-on experience they may not have otherwise received in day-to-day operations. “The exercise was phenomenal,” Standard said. “We had a great time during it and one of the main goals was to get our Airmen actual experience with rapid munitions assembly. Most of them have never done it, so going through these 12-hour shifts over the course of four days, having them build over 1200 munitions really drove home the point of how important it is to learn this stuff.” The operation also served a strategic purpose in affirming the wing’s ability to fulfill operational plans under a real-world threat scenario. “The training objective for this exercise is to prove to the wing commander and [AFGSC] that Minot AFB can produce bombs, and we can do it on a full scale, as if we are supporting an operational plan or an actual war effort. We came through, we did it and we succeeded, showing everybody what Minot AFB is capable of doing,” said Standard. According to Richardson, the most valuable takeaway was the development of Airmen proficiency and mission-readiness. “The largest mission benefit that we had for this exercise was allowing our young Airmen to come in and get the reps they needed on building different variants of bombs and bomb types then getting them out there on the line,” Richardson said. “We know the conventional mission is the one that's going to go out the door first.” As the first CAPEX hosted at Minot, the event not only broke net explosive weight records but set a new standard for execution, teamwork, and production capability under pressure—underscoring the base’s vital role in conventional munitions readiness. “We performed great,” said Richardson. “We brought the boom!”