The Air Force has given “formal direction” to the 341st Space Wing at Malmstrom AFB, Mont., to begin deactivating 50 of its 200 Minuteman III ICBMs and five alert facilities. The Air Force publicly identified Malmstrom earlier this year as the missile unit that would lose 50 ICBMs under a Quadrennial Defense Review mandate to downsize the ICBM force from 500 to 450 missiles. Malmstrom is the only unit with two types of systems, requiring different training and support.
The Air Force’s Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile is behind schedule and may significantly overrun its expected cost, which could partially explain why the service is reviving the hypersonic AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid-Response Weapon.