Submitted Photo Minot Air Force Base will be getting the MH-139A helicopter like these preparing to land at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., Jan. 28, after an Initial Operational Test and Evaluation mission, shown in this U.S. Air Force photo. The new helicopters will be hotused in the new Helicopter Operations and Tactical Response Force building being constructed at Minot AFB.

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE – A $141 million helicopter operations facility and a $5 million facility for special vehicle maintenance are among more than $177 million in current construction projects at Minot Air Force Base.

Capt. Dylan Bechen, director of Operations, and Capt. Derrick Jochmans, Engineering Flight deputy, of the 5th Civil Engineer Squadron, presented the annual construction update to Minot Area Chamber EDC’s Military Affairs Committee members at their March 6 meeting at Minot AFB.

The helicopter operations facility will be a nine-bay facility to house the 54th Helicopter Squadron’s new MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters and the 91st Security Forces’ Group Tactical Response Force.

The MH-139 Grey Wolf will replace the UH-1N Huey at Minot AFB, Malmstrom AFB in Montana and F.E. Warren AFB in Wyoming.

The special vehicle maintenance facility will be a pull-through vehicle maintenance facility to service large, mission essential vehicles, including fire trucks, snowplows and missile transport vehicles.

Other current projects include:

— $12.5 million full building renovation of Dormitory B131.

— $3 million Airman Leadership School project including two new classrooms.

— $6 million to completely renovate the Child Development Center (CDC), install a playroom, a youth STEM room and offices for the 5th Force Support Squadron.

— $2.3 million to construct a new CDC classroom addition.

Current projects are financed with Military Construction (MILCON), minor MILCON or Operations & Maintenance (O&M) funds. The Military Construction program provides congressional authorization and appropriation of funds. O&M appropriations finance the cost of operating and maintaining equipment at a state of readiness.

For more about Minot AFB construction, including planned future projects, see The Minot Daily News’ Progress edition in April.