WASHINGTON — The Air Force on Monday fired two more nuclear commanders and disciplined a third, fresh evidence of leadership lapses in a nuclear missile corps that has suffered a rash of recent setbacks, including the firing last year of its top commander.

The most senior officer to be relieved of command was Col. Carl Jones, the No. 2 commander of the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming, in charge of 150 of the Air Force’s 450 Minuteman 3 nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles. Complaints against Jones were the most extensive.

He was dismissed “for a loss of trust and confidence in his leadership abilities,” and has been reassigned as a special assistant to the wing commander.

The actions Monday were confirmed in response to an Associated Press inquiry about an internal Air Force investigation of two commanders at the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, which also is responsible for 150 Minuteman 3 missiles.

It is highly unusual for disciplinary action to be taken against commanders at two of the Air Force’s three nuclear missile bases on the same day. Officials said the timing was a coincidence.

Lt. Col. John Sheets, spokesman for Air Force Global Strike Command, which is in charge of the Air Force Minuteman 3 force as well as its nuclear bomber fleet, said that as a result of the Minot investigation a missile squadron commander, Lt. Col. Jimmy “Keith” Brown, was relieved of command Monday “because of a loss of confidence in Brown’s ability to lead his squadron.”

The second officer targeted in the investigation at Minot was Col. Michael Pagliuco, commander of the 91st Operations Group, which is in charge of the three missile squadrons at Minot, including Brown’s.

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