Global Security Newswire

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, shown last week, was scheduled on Monday to meet with the Air Force's top civilian and military officials to consider recently reported troubles with ICBM launch officers at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota (U.S. Defense Department photo).

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is scheduled on Monday to discuss with the Air Force's top civilian and military officials newly reported operations troubles with ICBM launch personnel at one installation, the Associated Press reported.

AP first reported last week that 17 launch officers at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota had been temporarily removed from their assignment due to poor performance during an inspection.

Hagel in recent days has been kept informed on the situation. He "expects not to see this kind of problem again," according to Pentagon spokesman George Little.

The service has a history of troubles in its nuclear mission, including the unintentional shipment of nuclear fuses to Taiwan in 2006 and the accidental flight of atomic-tipped cruise missiles over several states the next year. Those incidents led to the 2008 dismissal of the Air Force's top officials and establishment of the Global Strike Command, which manages its ICBM and bomber operations.

Minot is responsible for 150 of the U.S. arsenal of 450 nuclear-tipped Minuteman 3 ICBMs.

The Obama administration has sought to cut the number of deployed U.S. nuclear arms and to reduce the arsenal's role in national security strategy.

"The challenge facing the Air Force leadership, no matter what the size of the nuclear arsenal, is how do you sustain the morale and the intensity of the men and women who manage the nuclear enterprise," said former Defense Secretary Robert Gates. "That's not an easy thing, especially during terrible budget times that they're encountering right now."

The 17 officers are due to receive about two months of updated training before resuming their assignments, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said last week.

"I don't believe we have a nuclear surety risk at Minot Air Force Base," he told lawmakers. "I believe we have commanders who are taking very aggressive action to ensure that never occurs. And in that respect, this is a good thing."