Delivery Systems & Nuclear Triad

Anduril Industries and the White House Tuesday announced plans for a new 2 million square foot shipbuilding facility in Maryland that will focus on producing Virginia-class attack submarine (SSN) parts. The new facility, built with a combined $6.6 billion in private capital investment and federal contracting, will be called Arsenal-2 as a nod to Anduril’s […]

The Navy awarded more than $170 million in Trident II D5-related contracts Oct. 1, extending flight-test, missile operations, rocket motor storage and other support as the Columbia-class submarine program moves toward service entry. The largest award, a $46.85 million contract to L3Harris Technologies’ Interstate Electronics Corp., covers engineering, logistics, installation, operation, maintenance and modification of […]

The Air Force and Northrop Grumman have broken ground on a new B-21 Raider final assembly line in Palmdale, Calif., putting a previously announced effort to accelerate bomber production into construction. The new assembly line at Air Force Plant 42 is part of over a million square feet of planned facilities expected to increase annual […]

The Navy awarded more than $170 million in Trident II D5-related contracts Oct. 1, extending flight-test, missile operations, rocket motor storage and other support as the Columbia-class submarine program moves toward service entry. The largest award, a $46.85 million contract to L3Harris Technologies’ Interstate Electronics Corp., covers engineering, logistics, installation, operation, maintenance and modification of […]

The Air Force and Northrop Grumman have broken ground on a new B-21 Raider final assembly line in Palmdale, Calif., putting a previously announced effort to accelerate bomber production into construction. The new assembly line at Air Force Plant 42 is part of over a million square feet of planned facilities expected to increase annual […]

The Navy’s W93/Mk7 nuclear warhead and reentry system has entered the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase after achieving Milestone B, advancing the first new U.S. nuclear warhead program initiated in nearly four decades. The Navy’s Portfolio Acquisition Executive Strategic Systems Programs announced Sept. 24 that the W93/Mk7 program had entered the EMD phase of […]

The Navy’s W93/Mk7 nuclear warhead and reentry system has entered the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase after achieving Milestone B, advancing the first new U.S. nuclear warhead program initiated in nearly four decades. The Navy’s Portfolio Acquisition Executive Strategic Systems Programs announced Sept. 24 that the W93/Mk7 program had entered the EMD phase of […]

Northrop Grumman has opened a new manufacturing facility in Utah as the Air Force increases B-21 Raider production capacity, backed by billions of dollars in procurement funding for the next-generation nuclear-capable bomber. The company opened its 845,000-square-foot East Gate 3 facility in Layton, Utah, Sept. 9., according to a company release. The expansion brings Northrop’s […]

Northrop Grumman has received a potential nine-year, $508.5 million contract from the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to provide flight test and logistics support for remaining intermediate- and intercontinental-range ballistic missile targets. The cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable and fixed-price-incentive contract covers flight test support for the remaining intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) targets in MDA’s inventory, as well as […]

The Pentagon’s ongoing review of guidance for employing nuclear weapons is drawing scrutiny over whether it could expand the role of lower-yield and theater nuclear weapons in regional conflicts. The review, described by Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby at an August conference as a “relook” at nuclear weapons employment guidance, is focused on […]

JRC Integrated Systems is receiving a $47.4 million contract modification to provide technical and engineering support for the Navy’s Nuclear-armed, Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM-N) program through 2030. The $47,393,736 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification, which includes optional line items, was awarded by Strategic Systems Programs under previously awarded contract N0003026C7001, according to the Pentagon’s contracts page on Sept. […]

Northrop Grumman has received a potential nine-year, $508.5 million contract from the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to provide flight test and logistics support for remaining intermediate- and intercontinental-range ballistic missile targets. The cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-reimbursable and fixed-price-incentive contract covers flight test support for the remaining intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) targets in MDA’s inventory, as well as […]

K & K Industries has won a $13.65 million contract to construct a weapons release system storage facility supporting the Air Force’s B-21 Raider program at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. The firm-fixed-price award, announced by the Defense Department Sept. 21, has a total cumulative face value of $14.99 million. Work will be performed in […]

The Pentagon’s ongoing review of guidance for employing nuclear weapons is drawing scrutiny over whether it could expand the role of lower-yield and theater nuclear weapons in regional conflicts. The review, described by Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby at an August conference as a “relook” at nuclear weapons employment guidance, is focused on […]

Northrop Grumman has opened a new manufacturing facility in Utah as the Air Force increases B-21 Raider production capacity, backed by billions of dollars in procurement funding for the next-generation nuclear-capable bomber. The company opened its 845,000-square-foot East Gate 3 facility in Layton, Utah, Sept. 9., according to a company release. The expansion brings Northrop’s […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 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 […]

Submarine maintenance delays have cost the Navy $3.4 billion over the past decade and could add $3.1 billion more as it prepares to retire aging Los Angeles-class attack submarines, a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report finds. In an analysis of attack submarine (SSN) data from fiscal years 2008 to 2025, GAO said it found […]

Submarine maintenance delays have cost the Navy $3.4 billion over the past decade and could add $3.1 billion more as it prepares to retire aging Los Angeles-class attack submarines, a new Government Accountability Office (GAO) report finds. In an analysis of attack submarine (SSN) data from fiscal years 2008 to 2025, GAO said it found […]

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 […]

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 […]

Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) is exploring the use of digital high frequency (DHF) nuclear command, control, and communications (NC3) for the future Sentinel missile by Northrop Grumman. DHF would avoid electronic jamming and use of satellites and have high data rate transmission, according to an Air Force notice on its market research.  This […]

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 […]