One of the factors commonly considered in these studies is the location of strategic military infrastructure. In the United States, certain central states host intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) silos that are part of the country’s long-standing nuclear deterrent system. Because these facilities play an important role in national defense strategy, analysts sometimes evaluate how their presence might affect hypothetical scenarios involving military conflict. In modeling exercises published in past research, states such as Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Minnesota are often referenced due to the location of these installations. Their inclusion in such studies reflects infrastructure placement rather than any current geopolitical situation.
