SELM exercise strengthens the nation’s strategic deterrent

Airmen and Sailors from the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron and Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron FOUR (VQ-4), Strategic Communications Wing ONE, completed a Simulated Electronic Launch-Minuteman event at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, Sept. 15–17, 2026. The twice-yearly exercise evaluates selected Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles in their deployed environment without an actual launch, assessing the system from routine operations through issuance of the first-stage ignition signal.

“This exercise demonstrates the continued readiness, professionalism, and integrated teamwork required to sustain the Minuteman III weapon system,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Chad Redwine, 625th STOS commander.

The event centered on the Airborne Launch Control System, which provides a safeguard to command missiles if ground-based launch control centers are damaged or unresponsive. The goal of this iteration was to verify the weapon system’s secondary launch capability. “Because of the months of planning and coordination that lead up to a SELM, the crew is thoroughly prepared,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Quinn Sokolnicki, 625th STOS test flight commander and ALCS operator. “During execution, we as ALCS operators are excited to get actual reps by sending commands to test configured launch facilities at the missile wing.”

During the mission, ALCS operators aboard a Navy E-6B Mercury transmitted test commands to launch facilities isolated in a mini-squadron configuration. U.S. Air Force Capt. Noah Woods, 625th STOS ALCS test engineer, said engineers worked alongside the flight crew and ground teams to track system responses throughout the event. Operating across the Malmstrom complex required tailored planning: with the base airfield configured exclusively for helicopter operations, the E-6B staged through Great Falls International Airport, necessitating inter-agency coordination before test sorties.

Once airborne, the VQ-4 aircrew managed the flight profile and aircraft endurance while the 625th STOS airborne test team directed the step-by-step execution of the script over the missile complex. “From the airborne engineering seat, our focus is making sure every test objective is achieved safely and with high fidelity,” said Woods, the airborne test conductor. “We work in lockstep with the Navy aircrew to keep the aircraft positioned exactly where it needs to be to maintain clean command links across the wing’s dispersed launch control centers and launch facilities, all while maintaining constant communication with our test partners on the ground.”

The exercise drew on a synchronized operational rhythm across multiple commands. The 625th STOS, VQ-4, the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom, and the 576th Flight Test Squadron from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, routinely combine efforts to test and validate the Minuteman III weapon system. “It reflects the combined efforts of operations, security forces, maintenance, test & evaluation teams, and airborne personnel,” Redwine noted. “Together, these teams help ensure Minuteman III remains a credible, responsive component of the nation’s nuclear triad.”

Officials said the resulting data informs current readiness assessments and supports long-term planning. “Data gathered helps verify the performance of the Minuteman III system’s secondary launch capability,” Woods said. “The results support efforts to sustain a credible ICBM deterrent through the transition to the Sentinel weapon system, while reinforcing the resilience and responsiveness of our nation’s strategic posture.”

To enable that transition, the Air Force is continuing to fix aging parts and update hardware to keep Minuteman III dependable around the clock without a full-scale overhaul. Planners are preparing a phased approach to retire older nodes while bringing Sentinel online, with the aim of minimizing operational risk and maintaining 24/7 deterrence.

Redwine noted, “our strategic capabilities are foundational to national security. Exercises like SELM are a clear demonstration of our commitment to maintaining a credible and reliable nuclear deterrent. It sends an unambiguous message that our forces are ready to perform their mission anytime, anywhere, ensuring the defense of our nation and our allies.”