Delivery Systems & Nuclear Triad

A top U.S. Navy official said the service is unlikely to reach above 310 ships at current funding levels, let alone the congressionally-mandated goal of 355 ships. “Will we get to 355 ships? I think with today’s fiscal situation and where the Navy’s topline is right now – we can keep around 305 to 310 […]

Raytheon on Thursday reported strong third quarter financial results driven by higher sales across its defense segments and improved operating performance and the company increased its outlook for the top and bottom lines this year. Net income soared 34% to $860 million, $3.08 earnings per share (EPS), from $644 million ($2.25 EPS) a year ago, topping […]

Lockheed Martin on Tuesday posted strong third-quarter financial results driven by gains in three of its reporting segments and the company raised its earnings guidance for the year due to a tax benefit. Net income increased 9 percent to $1.6 billion, $5.66 earnings per share (EPS), from $1.5 billion ($5.14 EPS) a year ago, torching consensus […]

By Calvin Biesecker A review initiated this month by antitrust regulators into Northrop Grumman’s compliance with terms of the government’s approval last year of the acquisition of Orbital ATK isn’t expected to impact the Air Force’s acquisition plans for a new strategic nuclear missile system, the company’s top executive said Thursday. Northrop Grumman, in its third-quarter […]

The Air Force’s next-generation nuclear bomber is winding its way through production, but don’t expect to see it flying until December 2021 at the earliest, the service’s rapid capabilities office (RCO) director said Oct. 24. The service has its first B-21 Raider test jet moving through production at prime contractor Northrop Grumman’s facilities in Palmdale, […]

The U.S. Air Force has pulled the plug nearly a year early on Boeing’s contract to mature technology for the next generation of silo-based, nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles, the company said this week. This is another setback for the incumbent on the current Minuteman III missile fleet, which hoped the remaining year of work on […]

Boeing on Wednesday reported big drops in sales and earnings in its third quarter as it continues to struggle with the grounding of its 737 MAX passenger plane, which it expects to return to service later this year. The safe return to service of the 737 MAX, which suffered two tragic crashes in the past […]

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congress might not block the Navy from deploying a low-yield nuclear warhead this year after all, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.), an influential opponent of the weapon, said here Thursday. “That’s going to be very, very difficult, very difficult, because of the strong opposition from both the White House […]

Boeing on Wednesday reported big drops in sales and earnings in its third quarter as it continues to struggle with the grounding of its 737 MAX passenger plane, which it expects to return to service later this year. The safe return to service of the 737 MAX, which suffered two tragic crashes in the past year, […]

The U.S. Air Force has pulled the plug nearly a year early on Boeing’s contract to mature technology for the next generation of silo-based, nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles, the company said this week.  This is another setback for the incumbent on the current Minuteman III missile fleet, which hoped the remaining year or so of […]

Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment Ellen Lord on Friday defended the Air Force’s request for proposals for the forthcoming contract for production of the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent intercontinental ballistic missiles. Lord called the document a “well-written RFP that will give us the insight we need” with regard to cost and pricing for replacing […]

The Senate confirmed Air Force Gen. John Hyten to become the next Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sept. 26, by a vote of 75-22. The vote to promote the current U.S. Strategic Command commander comes after several months of drawn-out debate over allegations that Hyten had sexually assaulted one of his […]

General Dynamics Electric Boat broke ground on a new 200,000-square-foot facility that will be dedicated to building the new Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine. Called the South Yard Assembly Building (SYAB), it will be on 7 acres of the company’s property at its Groton, Conn., facility and is the largest company construction project in 45 years, GD […]

General Dynamics Electric Boat broke ground on a new 200,000-square-foot facility on Sept. 13 that will be dedicated to building the new Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine. Called the South Yard Assembly Building (SYAB), it will be on 7 acres of the company’s property at its Groton, Conn., facility and is the largest company construction project in […]

General Dynamics recently appointed Kevin Graney, president of GD National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, as president of GD Electric Boat, effective Oct. 1. These moves come with Jeffrey Geiger, president of Electric Boat since 2013, scheduled to retire on Sept. 30 after a 35-year career with the company. “Kevin Graney’s leadership, nuclear propulsion expertise and […]

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Keeping the threat of a bid protest in his back pocket, a Boeing Co. executive said here Tuesday the U.S. Air Force can save time and money building the next generation of nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles by scrapping a competition in which only Northrop Grumman is now competing. “What I am suggesting […]

Northrop Grumman on Wednesday announced changes to its organization and leadership it argued will better align portfolios. The company said there will be four modified operating sectors: Aeronautics Systems, Defense Systems, Mission Systems, and Space Systems. Changes will be effective Jan. 1, 2020. Northrop is a major contractor on the bomber leg of the U.S. nuclear […]

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – The U.S. Air Force is considering whether to move funding from the B-1B Lancer program to buy additional next-generation B-21 bombers in the fiscal 2021 budget, as changes are considered for the overall future of the aging bomber force. Accelerating procurement of the Northrop Grumman-developed B-21 Raider is a priority for the service, […]

Northrop Grumman on Wednesday announced changes to its organization and leadership it argued will better align portfolios. The company said there will be four modified operating sectors: Aeronautics Systems, Defense Systems, Mission Systems and Space Systems. Changes will be effective Jan. 1, 2020. Aeronautics Systems will be “an innovative manned and unmanned air system provider, with […]

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – The U.S. Air Force is considering whether to move funding from the B-1B Lancer program to buy additional next-generation B-21 bombers in the fiscal year 2021 budget, as changes are considered for the overall future of the aging bomber force. Accelerating procurement of the Northrop Grumman-developed B-21 Raider is a priority for the […]

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Keeping the threat of a bid protest in his back pocket, a Boeing Co. executive said here Tuesday the U.S. Air Force can save time and money building the next generation of nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles by scrapping a competition in which only Northrop Grumman is competing. “What I am suggesting is […]

General Dynamics [GD] has appointed Kevin Graney, president of GD National Steel and Shipbuilding Company (NASSCO), as president of GD Electric Boat (EB), effective Oct. 1. Concurrently, David Carver, NASSCO’s vice president and general manager of repair, is succeeding Graney as president of NASSCO, the company revealed Friday. These moves come as Jeffrey Geiger, who has […]

After several weeks of speculation that the two developers for the Air Force’s next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile system could work together on a path forward, the companies appear to be at a crossroads. Northrop Grumman has reportedly rejected Boeing’s offer to partner up to develop the Air Force’s Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program, Boeing said in a Sept. […]

The U.S. Air Force is not encouraging or discouraging a possible proposal where Boeing and Northrop Grumman team up to build the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent, Air Force Assistant Secretary for Acquisition Will Roper told reporters on the sidelines of a recent industry conferece. “We are looking for the proposal that is best value to the […]

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday advanced legislation that would provide $65 million more than the White House requested for fiscal 2020 for the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation, nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile. The Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program would receive $635 million for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, under the 2020 Defense Appropriations Act. The […]

The Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee on Tuesday advanced legislation that would provide $65 million more than the White House requested for fiscal 2020 for the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation, nuclear-armed intercontinental ballistic missile. The Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program would receive $635 million for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1, under the 2020 Defense Appropriations Act […]

The Air Force is not encouraging or discouraging a possible proposal where Boeing and Northrop Grumman team up to build the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent, Air Force Assistant Secretary for Acquisition Will Roper told reporters Wednesday on the sidelines of the Defense News conference. “We are looking for the proposal that is best value to the Air Force,” […]

It’s clear that Boeing, which designed, built, and serviced every Minuteman missile since the venerable launcher became the backbone of the U.S. nuclear arsenal, does not like any of the options available to it under the Air Force’s current procurement for the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD). That’s why the company quit the competition to build the […]

BWX Technologies is about halfway through repairing 12 submarine missile tubes it welded incorrectly in 2018, Rex Geveden, president and CEO of the Lynchburg, Va., nuclear-hardware and fuel provider told investors Tuesday. Under multiple subcontracts to Columbia- and Virginia-class submarine production prime General Dynamics Electric Boat, BWXT is on the hook to deliver tubes through 2021. […]

BWX Technologies is about halfway through repairing 12 submarine missile tubes it welded incorrectly in 2018, Rex Geveden, president and CEO of the Lynchburg, Va., nuclear-hardware and fuel provider told investors Tuesday. Under multiple subcontracts to Columbia- and Virginia-class submarine production prime General Dynamics Electric Boat, BWXT is on the hook to deliver tubes through 2021. […]