Air Force Seeks Congressional Help to Safeguard Nuclear Sites from Growing Threat of Wind Turbines

Proposed 2-nautical-mile buffer zone around underground silos eyes protection of Helicopter crews from growing presence of wind turbines; 46 out of 450 US sites already "severely" encroached, inhibiting nuclear security operations.

The rise in wind turbines on vast private farmlands, which share space with the undetectable nuclear launch sites, is causing safety concerns for military helicopter crews. The giant blades create physical obstacles and hazards like turbulence, endangering the UH-1 Huey crews who fly in low and fast in response to alarms at the sites.
The U.S. Air Force has requested Congress to pass legislation to create a 2-nautical-mile buffer zone around each nuclear site to safeguard helicopter crews and security operations.
The proposed buffer zone has gained support from wind energy advocates, despite their caution against a one-size-fits-all approach. They argue that site-specific and mission-specific evaluations would be necessary to ensure military readiness.
The 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes the language to create setbacks around nuclear launch sites, is under negotiation in Congress. If passed, the existing wind turbines would not be affected unless a company decided to refurbish a tower and make it taller.
Encroachment of wind turbines now severely restricts access to 46 out of the 450 silo sites, defined by the Air Force as having more than half of the routes to the launch site closed due to obstructions. However, there is acknowledgment of the importance of balancing national security concerns with the country’s green energy needs and landowners’ economic benefits.