583rd Missile Maintenance Squadron refurbishes Minot AFB missile suspension system

Missile maintenance technicians with the 583rd Missile Maintenance Squadron prepare to lower into a silo at a launch facility near Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Aug. 18, 2026. The missile suspension system was introduced in 1975 and acts as a shock-absorbing, three-point suspension system designed to cushion the missile and keep it suspended and absolutely motionless, ensuring the Minuteman III fleet is ready at a moment’s notice. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Carson Jeney

Senior Airman Carson Jeney, Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. – The 583rd Missile Maintenance Squadron conducted a first-of-its-kind missile suspension system refurbishment at a launch facility near Minot Air Force Base, Aug. 18, 2026.


“The suspension system that was removed from one of the launch facilities earlier this year was the first operation site at Minot AFB to be removed, transported to Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, refurbished and returned to be reinstalled,” said Roy Ring, 583 MMXS production superintendent.


The 583 MMXS provides specialized work sustaining the United States Air Force’s land-based leg of the nuclear triad.


“We are the only squadron in the Department of War authorized to perform depot-level maintenance in underground and above ground Minuteman III facilities,” said KyAnn Betz, 583 MMXS director. “We have a full maintenance shop at each missile wing for local manufacturing and repair. We also assist with field-level maintenance if needed.”

Missile maintenance technicians assigned to the 583rd Missile Maintenance Squadron prepare to lift a missile suspension system with a crane at a launch facility near Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Aug. 18, 2026. The 583 MMXS is responsible for the routine and preventative maintenance of launch facilities across the Department of War, ensuring nuclear deterrence capabilities remain safe, secure, reliable, and ready to respond at a moment’s notice.


The makeup of the 583 MMXS is also unique, having no active duty service members and having over 250 combined years of experience on Minuteman III systems at each base.


“We are an all-civilian workforce,” said Betz. “We have 196 employees at five geographically separate units across five bases: Minot AFB, Malmstrom AFB, F.E. Warren AFB, Vandenberg SFB and Hill AFB.”


Typically, a suspension system isn’t fully transported and refurbished, but rather routine preventative maintenance is conducted on-site.


“The complete overhaul of a suspension system does not happen often across the Minuteman III fleet,” said Ring. “Since the creation of the Depot Maintenance Teams in the mid 1980s, known as Rivet Mile and now the 583rd Missile Maintenance Squadron, mechanics have been routinely inspecting and repairing the suspension systems.”


This successful refurbishment marks a significant milestone in maintaining the longevity of the nation’s intercontinental ballistic missile fleet. By proving that major structural components can be transported, overhauled and reinstalled, the 583 MMXS ensures that the land-based leg of the nuclear triad remains safe, secure and effective.

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