The missileers at Minot AFB, N.D. are first in line for new cryptography for the 150 Minuteman III ICBMs of the 91st Space Wing, reports the Minot Daily News. Col. Marty Whelan, 91st SW commander, said that the cryptography “allows us to maintain our codes and then change our codes, which is how we maintain the security of the system.” The newspaper reports that the cost to upgrade the cryptography for all three of USAF’s ballistic missile wings is $217 million and, according to Whelan, will help keep the ICBM force viable through 2030. Other modernization programs are underway for the ICBM fleet, including guidance system replacement.
The crash of a T-38 trainer jet this May—which caused a weekslong pause in flights across the fleet—was caused by an improperly installed pin for one of the jet’s horizontal stabilizers, according to a new accident report released Oct. 30. When the pin disengaged midflight, it created the slightest amount…