Grey Wolf helicopter ready to take over ICBM security

A new generation of land-based nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles will be guarded by a new security helicopter.

The MH-139 Grey Wolf became fully operational last month with the 20th Air Force, headquartered at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., Air Force Global Strike Command announced this week.

The Grey Wolf, which will replace the UH-1N Huey in the security role, is 50% faster, can carry twice as many troops and has enhanced defensive capabilities. The helicopters provide security for the estimated 450 active nuclear missile silos, according to the Air Force.

“These advancements allow security forces to mobilize combat power and arrive on-site sooner,” the Air Force said in a statement.

The helicopter change comes as the U.S. prepares to replace the LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBM with the next-generation LGM-35A Sentinel. The Air Force broke ground in March on the prototype for new launch silos to be built for Sentinels. The nearly $141 billion program is expected to stretch into the second half of the 21st century.

Land-based Minuteman III ICBMs are part of the U.S. nuclear triad, which also includes the B-2 Spirit and B-52 Stratofortress bombers, as well as Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines.

An MH-139 Grey Wolf helicopter provides air security on Jan. 8, 2026, for an ICBM convoy at Malmstrom AFB in Montana. (Jack Rodriguez Escamilla/U.S. Air Force)

Along with the Sentinel program, the U.S. is modernizing the triad by developing the B-21 Raider bomber and the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine.

The Air Force said the speed and range of the Grey Wolf are needed for the 20th Air Force’s sprawling mission requirements overseeing the land-based nuclear missile force across 33,600 square miles of responsibility.

“The Grey Wolf was built to support missile field security across the vast and austere terrain within which our nuclear mission operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” the Air Force said in a statement.

Gen. S.L. Davis, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, offered a salute to the retiring UH-1N Hueys.

“For more than half a century, the UH-1N Huey has been a key element of our Intercontinental Ballistic Missile security, and we owe a debt of gratitude to the crews who flew and maintained it over all these years,” Davis said. “Securing these missiles demands our best efforts and the MH-139 will significantly improve our capabilities.”

The Air Force said the Grey Wolf would also be used for search and rescue, disaster response and medical evacuations.