MINOT (AP) - The Minot Air Force Base is preparing for an inspection of its 91st Space Wing, which oversees 150 underground missiles.

The Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles are in underground launch facilities in northwest and north central North Dakota. The 91st Space Wing is one of three such missile units in the Air Force. Its inspection is scheduled Jan. 22.

"The Nuclear Surety Inspection is where Air Force Space Command inspectors come out and give us our license to operate," said Col. Marty Whelan, the commander of the 91st Space Wing. "They look at our ability to secure, maintain and operate our nuclear deterrence mission."

The base's 5th Bomb Wing had been scheduled for a Jan. 23 inspection to help the Air Force decide whether to re-certify the bomb wing. That inspection was delayed to allow more time for changes after an August incident in which a B-52 bomber mistakenly flew six nuclear-tipped cruise missiles to Louisiana.

The inspection team coming to evaluate the 91st Space Wing includes about 60 people.

"In many cases, they're the people that have helped formulate our current policies, so they're very knowledgeable of how and what we're supposed to be doing," Whelan said.

The inspectors will check on the base and also will go to the missile field. "They will watch people execute their jobs in the field, and that will include maintenance, (and) our security forces members," Whelan said.

The space wing's last Nuclear Surety Inspection was in May 2005, Whelan said.

"There's no official progress report, but there's daily dialogue," he said.

The wing also will go through a separate inspection of its records, called the unit compliance inspection, to make sure it meets Air Force regulations, Whelan said. The 5th Bomb Wing is scheduled to have that inspection next week.