Malmstrom Air Force Base

The 341st Missile Wing, headquartered at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, is one of three U.S. Air Force Bases that operates, maintains and secures the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). The 341st Missile Wing reports directly to 20th Air Force, at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, and is part of Air Force Global Strike Command, headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana.

Mission:

“Defend America with combat-ready Airmen and ICBM forces.”

Vision:

“The most powerful combat unit in the AF ready every second of every day to employ the most destructive weapons in human existence.”

Organizations
The 341st Missile Wing is made up of a wing staff and five groups - the 341st Operations Group, 341st Maintenance Group, 341st Mission Support Group, 341st Security Forces Group and 341st Medical Group. The base is also host to three tenant partners, the 819th RED HORSE Squadron, the 40th Helicopter Squadron, 550 Helicopter Squadron, and 20th Space Force as well as multiple other tenant units

Malmstrom Air Force Base, a sprawling military installation on the vast Montana plains just east of Great Falls, boasts a history as dynamic and important as the nation it protects. Since its inception during the tumultuous days of World War II, Malmstrom has been a cornerstone of American defense, adapting and evolving through the decades to meet ever-changing global threats.

The base’s story begins in 1942, a time when the fate of the free world hung in the balance. With the urgency of a nation at war, construction crews worked around the clock, transforming a swathe of Montana prairie into a bustling air base in less than a year. Designated Great Falls Army Air Base, the installation quickly became a training ground for B-17 bomber crews, the men who would soon take the fight to the skies over Europe and North Africa. For almost a year, the skies above Great Falls rumbled with the roar of B-17s as four bomber groups honed their skills, preparing for the dangerous missions that lay ahead.

As World War II raged on, the base took on another crucial role. The 7th Ferrying Group arrived, tasked with a vital mission: ferrying thousands of American-built aircraft to Fairbanks, Alaska, where they would be handed over to Soviet pilots. This massive effort, part of the Lend-Lease program, provided the Soviet Union with desperately needed war material to combat Nazi Germany on the Eastern Front. By the war’s end, nearly 8,000 aircraft had passed through Great Falls, a testament to the base’s logistical prowess and its contribution to the Allied victory.

With the guns of World War II falling silent, a new era dawned: the Cold War. Great Falls Army Air Base, reflecting the nation’s shift in priorities, underwent its own transformation. On October 1, 1955, the base was renamed Malmstrom Air Force Base, honoring the legacy of Col. Einar A. Malmstrom, a true American hero who had served with distinction in World War II as both a squadron commander of the 356th Fighter Group and a prisoner of war. Malmstrom’s tragic death in an accident near the base he would one day have commanded only solidified his place in the base’s history.

The Cold War brought not only a new name but also a new mission to Malmstrom. Initially, the focus was on air refueling, with the 407th Air Refueling Squadron keeping long-range bombers aloft and ready to respond to any threat. But as the Soviet Union expanded its nuclear arsenal, Malmstrom’s role shifted to air defense. In 1957, the base became home to SAGE, the Semi-Automatic Ground Environment system, a technological marvel of its time. This network of powerful computers, fed by data from radar stations across the country, provided a real-time picture of North American airspace, allowing for rapid detection and interception of any potential Soviet attack. Malmstrom’s SAGE system played a vital role in safeguarding American skies, standing watch over the vast Great Falls Air Defense Sector from 1961 until 1983.

The dawn of the 1960s brought with it the most dramatic shift in Malmstrom’s mission: the arrival of the Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). These fearsome weapons, capable of delivering a nuclear warhead to targets thousands of miles away, became a chilling symbol of the Cold War’s nuclear standoff. Malmstrom, with its wide-open spaces and strategic location, was chosen as a key site for the Minuteman program. The 341st Strategic Missile Wing was activated on July 1, 1961, overseeing a vast network of underground launch facilities scattered across hundreds of square miles of Montana countryside.

The Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, a tense standoff that brought the world to the brink of nuclear war, underscored the critical importance of Malmstrom’s Minuteman missiles. With the threat of Soviet aggression all too real, the base went on high alert, its missile crews ready to launch at a moment’s notice. The crisis ultimately subsided, but it left an indelible mark on Malmstrom, leading to a massive expansion of its ICBM force and solidifying its place as a cornerstone of America’s nuclear deterrent.

Even with the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, Malmstrom Air Force Base has remained a vital part of the nation’s defense strategy. While the threat of large-scale nuclear war has receded, the need for a credible and responsive nuclear deterrent remains as important as ever. Malmstrom has adapted to this new reality, maintaining a smaller but more modern and sophisticated ICBM force, ready to respond to any threat to the United States or its allies.

From its origins as a World War II training ground to its current role as a guardian of peace in a world still shadowed by nuclear weapons, Malmstrom Air Force Base has played a pivotal role in American history. The men and women who have served at this remote outpost on the Montana plains have borne a heavy responsibility with dedication and professionalism, ensuring that for over eighty years, Malmstrom has stood ready, a silent sentinel safeguarding the nation’s security.

People

Great Falls MSA (metropolitan statistical area) - 84,601

Malmstrom Air Force Base - Approximately 6,557 people, including more than 3,250 military, 530 civilians, and 3,250 family members comprise the 341st Missile Wing and tenant units.

Great Falls is home to 60,013 residents (2024 census) making it Montana’s third largest city.

Malmstrom is the youngest community in Montana and one of the youngest workforces in the Air Force. 

Malmstrom is located in Great Falls, Montana. Great Falls has a hometown atmosphere, the people are friendly and the city is clean. The area is filled with scenic beauty and natural wonders. Great Falls is routinely referred to as Authentic Montana.

We take great pride in the City of Great Falls and the quality of life we provide our residents. With safe neighborhoods, great schools, abundant recreational opportunities, excellent health care facilities combined with the majestic Montana landscape right in our own backyards – what else could a resident ask for?

Great Falls has a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem with abundant opportunities and strong community resources to open a new business. Several co-working spaces have popped up in recent years, welcoming remote workers.

If continuing your education, we are home to several options. We have Great Falls College MSU, a two-year community college; University of Providence, a private Catholic university; and Touro University, a medical school offering Masters and Doctoral degrees.

While you're here, adventure! You can access the beautiful and clean Missouri river in town or go any direction for additional outdoor opportunities. In the winter you have one hour of a scenic drive to reach our local ski hill. Showdown Montana is renowned for its excellent snow. The resort is family-owned over multiple generations, keeping it affordable and approachable.

Great Falls is the museum capital of Montana offering a wide variety of genres. Each March, Great Falls becomes the western art capital of the world as buyers and sellers converge for the C.M. Russell Auction. The auction has expanded and includes more than just western art. Potters, photographers and contemporary artists revel in the Paris Gibson Square which also offers classes and workshops for all ages including a date night pottery class. The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and the First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park offer opportunities to explore Montana’s heritage and history. The Electric City Water Park offers fun for the whole family. Golf fans can take advantage of the community’s four golf courses and the dog park and skate park are popular community amenities.

Great Falls has been described as the perfect blend of big city excitement and small-town charm. From local restaurants and unique shopping boutiques, to cultural events and performances at the Mansfield Center for Performing Arts, to skiing and outdoor activities just minutes away there is truly something for everyone to enjoy right here in Great Falls.

Here are links to start your adventure and provide additional resources:

• Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce
• City of Great Falls
• Cascade County

The Great Falls International Airport serves the Great Falls area and is approx. 9 miles west of MAFB.  Taxis or rental cars are readily available at the airport but it is suggested that you have your sponsor transport you to the base.  There are no military shuttles from the airport to the base.  There is a commercial mass transit bus service in Great Falls but has limited schedules.

From the Airport take Interstate 15N to the 10 Ave South Exit.  Head East on 10 Ave South to the East side of Great Falls and take 57st N about 1 mile to the MAFB gate.

The installation is located adjacent to and East of the city of Great Falls in North Central Montana.

The city is approachable from the South, via Interstate 15 from the cities of Butte and Helena. From the West on Highway 200 from the city of Missoula. From the East on Highway 87 from the city of Lewistown. From the Northeast on Highway 87 from the city of Havre, and from the North on Interstate 15 from the city of Shelby.

Currently, there is no base transportation on this installation.

406-731-1110 or DSN 312-632-1110 - Automated system