Sentinel SATAF, Detachment 11 Activation Ceremony
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. John Mayer, Sentinel Site Activation Task Force, Detachment 11 commander, accepts command of SATAF, Detachment 11 from Gen. Thomas Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, during the Sentinel SATAF activation ceremony April 4, 2025, at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. The LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile system is designed to replace the Minuteman III, marking a significant step in modernizing the land-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad. This next-generation system will provide enhanced security, advanced capabilities, and sustained deterrence for decades to come. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Mary Bowers)
Sentinel SATAF, Detachment 11 Activation Ceremony
U.S. Air Force Gen. Thomas Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, speaks during the Sentinel Site Activation Task Force, Detachment 11 activation ceremony April 4, 2025, at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. Tasked with coordinating the transition to the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile system, Detachment 11 will oversee critical infrastructure projects, including the construction and refurbishment of missile facilities. The team will ensure that Malmstrom’s nuclear force remains operationally ready during this multi-year modernization effort. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Mary Bowers)
Sentinel SATAF, Detachment 11 Activation Ceremony
Lt. Col. John Mayer, Sentinel Site Activation Task Force, Detachment 11 commander, stands at attention during the Sentinel SATAF activation ceremony April 4, 2025, at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. The ceremony cemented Detachment 11’s presence at Malmstrom, allowing the base commander to focus on sustaining Minuteman III operations while the Sentinel program moves forward. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Mary Bowers)
Sentinel SATAF, Detachment 11 Activation Ceremony
U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. John Mayer, Sentinel Site Activation Task Force, Detachment 11 commander, shakes hands with Gen. Thomas Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, during the Sentinel SATAF activation ceremony April 4, 2025, at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. Having a Sentinel SATAF at Malmstrom is essential to the base’s 24/7/365 Minuteman III mission. The U.S. depends on Malmstrom’s ability to maintain nuclear deterrence while Sentinel is being implemented, making Detachment 11 and Lt. Col. Mayer essential to mission success at Wing One. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Mary Bowers)
Sentinel SATAF, Detachment 11 Activation Ceremony
Airmen assigned to the 341st Mission Support Group honor guard present the colors during the Sentinel Site Activation Task Force, Detachment 11 activation ceremony April 4, 2025, at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. The Sentinel program represents the most extensive and complex intercontinental ballistic missile modernization initiative undertaken by the Air Force since the 1980s. As the replacement for the aging Minuteman III system, Sentinel will enhance national security by ensuring a credible and effective nuclear deterrent well into the future. (U.S. Air Force Photo by Senior Airman Mary Bowers)
By 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs / Published April 10, 2025
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. ,
The stand-up of the detachment is a key milestone for the fielding of the Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile at Malmstrom. Similar detachments are standing up or will soon be stood up at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming, and Minot AFB, North Dakota.
U.S. Air Force General Thomas A. Bussiere, Air Force Global Strike Command Commander, presided over the activation ceremony.
“One thing we have never done before is maintain full operational capability while we transition from the Minuteman III,” said Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command. “It is the most complex undertaking our nation has ever embarked upon.”
Detachment 11 of the Sentinel SATAF will oversee daily operations and activities during the implementation of the Sentinel system deployment, including the construction of facilities required to operate the LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM. The detachment is ultimately responsible for overseeing and coordinating all assigned transition and deployment activities while keeping unity of effort by integrating, synchronizing, and coordinating all government and non-government agencies.
“Malmstrom AFB and the city of Great Falls have been great hosts since the first Minuteman ICBM came on alert 62 years ago,” said Lt. Col. John Mayer, AFGSC Detachment 11 Commander. “The next chapter is beginning though, and I am really proud to be a part of it. Detachment 11 is going to be working hard to ensure Sentinel is deployed effectively and efficiently, partnering with the community every step of the way.”
The Air Force is replacing the Minuteman III with the next-generation Sentinel system, a critical modernization of the land-based leg of the United States’ nuclear triad. Until full capability is achieved with the Sentinel ICBM, the Air Force will field both systems simultaneously, continuing to deter adversaries with the Minuteman III until the last of them is decommissioned.
