Archive

Defense & Military

Reporting on Pentagon nuclear equities, Navy nuclear propulsion programs, and the DoD-NNSA intersection across the nuclear triad.

  • USAF, Northrop detail Sentinel ICBM ‘vertical stacking’ demo

    The Air Force and Northrop Grumman Monday said they have completed a full assembly of the LGM-35A Sentinel future intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in its “operational orientation,” setting the stage for initial flight testing in 2027. The “vertical stacking” demonstration at Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB), Calif. was completed in parallel with a critical design […]

  • Design for ground support of Sentinel ‘has really turned the corner’

    NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – The ground support segment for the future LGM-35A intercontinental ballistic missile by Northrop Grumman “has really turned the corner,” U.S. Air Force Gen. Dale White, direct reporting portfolio manager for critical major weapon systems, told reporters here Monday. The Pentagon may undertake a re-certification of Sentinel for engineering and manufacturing development […]

  • General Dynamics gets $194M contract for SLCM-N fire control work

    The Navy awarded General Dynamics Mission Systems a $194.1 million contract modification to support development of the fire control subsystem for its nuclear-armed Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM-N) program. The Sept. 3 award provides $194.1 million in engineering and technical support for the SLCM-N Fire Control Subsystem, according to the Pentagon’s contract announcement. Work is expected […]

  • USAF, Northrop detail Sentinel ICBM ‘vertical stacking’ demo

    The Air Force and Northrop Grumman Monday said they have completed a full assembly of the LGM-35A Sentinel future intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in its “operational orientation,” setting the stage for initial flight testing in 2027. The “vertical stacking” demonstration at Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB), Calif. was completed in parallel with a critical design […]

  • GAO: NNSA recovered $1.4B in indirect costs from outside work in 2024

    The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) recovered about $1.4 billion in indirect costs in fiscal 2024 from work it performed for outside partners, helping offset the costs of maintaining facilities and infrastructure, according to the Government Accountability Office (GAO). NNSA’s eight contractor-operated laboratories, plants and sites conducted nearly $15 billion in Strategic Partnership Projects (SPP) […]

  • Navy picks Naval Weapons Station Crane for first microreactor installation

    The U.S. Navy unveiled plans this week for a nuclear microreactor at the Naval Weapons Station Crane in Indiana, which will be the first base to use the technology. The microreactor installed at the naval base will be owned and operated by a private company and provide electricity inside the fence even through power outages, […]

  • Northrop Grumman wins $111M submarine contract

    Northrop Grumman Systems Corp.-Marine Systems has been awarded a $111.4 million contract to maintain, overhaul and repair ship service turbine generators aboard the Navy’s Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine fleet. The firm-fixed-price and cost-only, indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity contract was posted Sept. 4 by the Defense Department. The deal has a total potential value of $253.3 million if […]

  • Lockheed Martin lands $90.2M for Trident II life extension work

    Lockheed Martin Space has received a $90.2 million contract modification for “advanced design and development” work supporting the Navy’s Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missile life extension program, the Pentagon said. The $90,229,306 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification, posted by the Defense Department Sept. 4, supports the Trident II Life Extension 2 Strategic Systems Programs Alteration Advanced Design […]

  • Navy chooses Naval Weapons Station Crane for first microreactor installation

    The United States Navy is in the mix of using advanced nuclear energy power naval installations, selecting Naval Weapons Station Crane in Indiana to be the first base to use the technology. The Department of Defense (DoD) said in its Wednesday press release the project will be completed in collaboration with the Army’s Janus program; […]

  • Northrop Grumman awarded $111M submarine contract

    Northrop Grumman Systems Corp.-Marine Systems has been awarded a $111.4 million contract to maintain, overhaul and repair ship service turbine generators aboard the Navy’s Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarine fleet. The firm-fixed-price and cost-only, indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity contract was posted Sept. 4 by the Defense Department. The deal has a total potential value of $253.3 million if […]

  • Lockheed Martin awarded $90.2M for Trident II life extension work

    Lockheed Martin Space has received a $90.2 million contract modification for “advanced design and development” work supporting the Navy’s Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missile life extension program, the Pentagon said. The $90,229,306 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification, posted by the Defense Department Sept. 4, supports the Trident II Life Extension 2 Strategic Systems Programs Alteration Advanced Design […]

  • BWXT plans Investor Day this month

    Virginia-based BWX Technologies (BWXT), which is involved in everything from supporting Naval nuclear reactors, to nuclear power to weapons cleanup, will hold an Investor Day presentation Sept. 29 in New York City. The event, featuring presentations from BWXT President and CEO Rex Geveden and other top executives, is by invitation only. However, the webcast audio […]

  • U.S., allies push IAEA board to refer Iran to UN Security Council

    The United States and European allies are seeking an International Atomic Energy Agency resolution that would report Iran to the U.N. Security Council over its nuclear safeguards obligations, news outlets said Friday. The U.S., Britain, France and Germany are lobbying members of the IAEA Board of Governors ahead of its upcoming meeting, seeking support for […]

  • Wrap up: Trump nominates Cao for SecNav; AtkinsRéalis selects Canadian Air Force vet for defense VP; Longtime DOE nuclear official to retire soon

    President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced he was nominating Hung Cao as Secretary of the Navy after serving in the role in an acting capacity for over four months. “I am pleased to nominate a true WARRIOR, Hung Cao, to become the next Secretary of the Navy. We need Patriots like Hung leading our Navy […]

  • Air Force, aerospace vet picked for AtkinsRéalis Canadian post

    AtkinsRéalis has turned to a 32-year veteran of the Royal Canadian Air Force with experience in the aerospace industry as a Canadian security vice president based in Ottawa. AtkinsRéalis said in an Aug. 26 press release it has appointed John Edelman as its vice president, Defence, Canada. In that role, Edelman will oversee the company’s […]

  • Wrap up: Air Force awards Raytheon radar contract for B-52H; ZNPP drone explosion; BWXT VP and more; Obituary

    The Air Force on Tuesday said it awarded RTX’s Raytheon an up to $603 million contract through August 2031 for a new radar, the APQ-188, for the service’s 75 B-52H bombers under the Radar Modernization Program (RMP). An active electronically scanned array radar based on RTX’s APG-79, the APQ-188 is to replace the bomber’s Northrop […]

  • Army selects 5 companies to build Janus reactors at military sites

    Almost a year after the Janus program was announced in October 2025, the United States Army selected five nuclear companies and awarded a collective of $2.2 billion to them to build over 20 microreactors across several military installations. According to the Army’s Wednesday press release, the five companies are Antares Nuclear, BWX Technologies, General Atomics, […]

  • Army selects 5 companies to build Janus reactors at military sites

    Almost a year after the Janus program was announced in October 2025, the United States Army selected five nuclear companies and awarded a collective of $2.2 billion to them to build over 20 microreactors across several military installations. According to the Army’s Wednesday press release, the five companies are Antares Nuclear, BWX Technologies, General Atomics, […]

  • First Trump battleship could cost over $23 billion, CBO says

    The first Trump-class battleship (BBG(X)) could cost more than $23 billion, with the 15-ship class totaling $275 billion, according to a Congressional Budget Office report published this month. The most recent 30-year shipbuilding plan released in May said the Navy plans for the BBG(X) to reach a 15-ship class by 2056 and showed the Navy […]

  • Australia picks Amentum JV to develop new AUKUS sub shipyard

    The Australian government’s naval shipbuilding infrastructure manager selected an Amentum-Laing O’Rourke joint venture to deliver a new nuclear-powered submarine construction shipyard in Australia, Amentum announced last week. Amentum said in a press release that under this long-term contract as a “Capability Partner,” it and Laing O’Rourke will “play a central role in developing the new […]

  • U.S. Army chooses five companies to build Janus reactors at military sites

    Almost a year after the Janus program was announced in October 2025, the United States Army selected five nuclear companies and awarded a collective of $2.2 billion to them to build over 20 microreactors across several military installations. According to the Army’s Wednesday press release, the five companies are Antares Nuclear, BWX Technologies, General Atomics, […]

  • Navy completes trials on nuclear submarine

    The Navy said Aug. 17 it completed shakedown trials on the USS Massachusetts (SSN-798) and the submarine is ready for fleet tasking after the service waived the boat’s post-shakedown availability due to its “superb material condition and combat readiness.”  The Navy said waiving the period was made possible due to the operational quality of the […]

  • Australia picks Amentum joint venture to develop new AUKUS sub shipyard

    The Australian government’s naval shipbuilding infrastructure manager selected an Amentum-Laing O’Rourke joint venture to deliver a new nuclear-powered submarine construction shipyard in Australia, Amentum announced last week. Amentum said in a press release that under this long-term contract as a “Capability Partner,” it and Laing O’Rourke will “play a central role in developing the new […]

  • First Trump battleship could cost over $23 billion, CBO says

    The first Trump-class battleship (BBG(X)) could cost more than $23 billion, with the 15-ship class totaling $275 billion, according to a Congressional Budget Office report published this month. The most recent 30-year shipbuilding plan released in May said the Navy plans for the BBG(X) to reach a 15-ship class by 2056 and showed the Navy […]

  • Navy to reclassify 19 Virginia-class submarines

    The Navy said this month it will reclassify 19 planned Virginia-class attack submarines equipped with the Virginia Payload Module (VPM) as guided missile submarines (SSGNs).  The Virginia-class submarine is expected to deploy the nuclear-armed, sea-launched cruise missile and include a variant of the W80-4 warhead, something the National Nuclear Security Administration is already working on. […]

  • GAO advises USAF to delay production decision for B-52 CERP until cost growth analyzed

    As the B-52 fleet of 75 bombers enters its seventh decade of service, most of the aircraft’s modernization efforts–worth more than $20 billion–are facing risks, according to a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. The report advises the Air Force to delay a production decision for the Commercial Engine Replacement Program (CERP) until the program […]

  • STRATCOM: modernization effort ‘once-in-every-other-generation’

    OMAHA, Neb. — U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) Commander Adm. Richard Correll said the United States is navigating a “once-in-every-other-generation” modernization effort as emerging technologies and a complex threat environment place greater urgency on decisions shaping the future nuclear deterrent. Giving opening remarks at STRATCOM’s annual Deterrence Symposium, Correll said the Pentagon is simultaneously recapitalizing all […]

  • STRATCOM Deterrence Symposium set this week

    The 2026 United States Strategic Command (STRATCOM) Deterrence Symposium will take place Aug. 5-6 in Omaha, Neb. at the CHI Health Center. The theme this year is “Peace through strength: turning defense strategy into decisive deterrence action,” according to the website. Brandon Williams, administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), will speak on Thursday. […]

  • Kratos wins $156M NNSA contract for mobile counter-drone platforms

    Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has received a $156 million contract from the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to provide mobile counter-unmanned aircraft systems for the Office of Secure Transportation’s Project Solar Shield. The sole-source, single-award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract will support the NNSA Office of Secure Transportation (OST), Kratos announced July 21. OST is responsible for […]

  • NNSA delivers new nuclear detonation sensors to Space Force

    The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has delivered its fifth next-generation Global Burst Detector (GBD) sensor payload to the U.S. Space Force to monitor nuclear detonations above-ground globally. The payload will be integrated onto a Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite before launch, where it will join an existing constellation of sensors that continuously monitor the […]