Delivery Systems & Nuclear Triad

The conferenced fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) turns back a proposal by the Senate to accelerate the U.S. Air Force AGM-181 Long Range Standoff (LRSO) nuclear cruise missile under development by RTX’s Raytheon. The Senate bill recommended $756 million for LRSO – $149 million more than requested by the Air Force – including […]

Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, a naval technical agent, was awarded a $453.9 million contract modification to fund engineering support on the Trident D5 missile guidance subsystem, the Pentagon announced last week. The cost-plus-fixed-fee modification applies to a previously announced and awarded Navy contract to continue engineering and support services for the submarine-launched ballistic missile system. […]

The House Wednesday voted 312 to 112 to pass the conferenced $900.6 billion fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would authorize $25.96 billion in funding for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). That is the highest authorization limit yet for the agency in charge of maintaining the nation’s nuclear weapons […]

Sandia National Laboratories announced the unveiling of its newest supercomputer, Spectra, on Monday. Sandia teamed up with technology company NextSilicon by using 128 of its specialized chips, with aims to increase performance but reduce power consumption. The chips, called Maverick-2 dual-die accelerators, analyze code to prioritize tasks, a different system than the CPUs and GPUs […]

The Senate and House combined both versions of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) into a version that would authorize $25.96 billion in funding for the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). That is the highest authorization limit yet for the agency in charge of maintaining the nation’s nuclear weapons stockpile, and […]

As the Air Force considers when to hold its first flight test in its Northrop Grumman-developed Sentinel missile, Lockheed Martin has received a nearly $454 million contract add-on from the Air Force Nuclear Weapon Center at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The add-on is for the LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile’s (ICBM) Mk21A re-entry vehicle. […]

North and South Dakota Sens. John Hoeven (R) and Mike Rounds (R), respectively, said the Northrop Grumman future intercontinental ballistic missile Sentinel will be under the Golden Dome project in upcoming defense bills. “The project itself, it will be a part of an Iron Dome project, or a Golden Dome Project,” Rounds told the Exchange […]

The bow section of the first Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine arrived at General Dynamics’ Electric Boat South Yard assembly building in Groton, Conn. last week, where it will undergo final assembly. With this delivery, all of the major modules for the future USS District of Columbia (SSBN-826) are now at Electric Boat’s facility. The bow […]

Two nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM-N) launch task area agreements were awarded to Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, a division of the defense company, and Pacific Engineering. The award was announced on the National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL) contracting platform. It will be funded by the Strategic Systems Programs in partnership with NSWC Crane, a spokesperson […]

Two nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile (SLCM-N) launch task area agreements were awarded to Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, a division of the defense company, and Pacific Engineering. The award was announced on the National Security Technology Accelerator (NSTXL) contracting platform. It will be funded by the Strategic Systems Programs in partnership with NSWC Crane, a spokesperson […]

North and South Dakota Sens. John Hoeven (R) and Mike Rounds (R), respectively, said the Northrop Grumman future intercontinental ballistic missile Sentinel will be under the Golden Dome project in upcoming defense bills. “The project itself, it will be a part of an Iron Dome project, or a Golden Dome Project,” Rounds told the Exchange […]

The bow section of the first Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine arrived at General Dynamics’ Electric Boat South Yard assembly building in Groton, Conn. last week, where it will undergo final assembly. With this delivery, all of the major modules for the future USS District of Columbia (SSBN-826) are now at Electric Boat’s facility. The bow […]

As the Air Force considers when to hold its first flight test in its Northrop Grumman-developed Sentinel missile, Lockheed Martin has received a nearly $454 million contract add-on from the Air Force Nuclear Weapon Center at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The add-on is for the LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile’s (ICBM) Mk21A re-entry vehicle. […]

The Navy on Monday awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a $2.28 billion cost-only modification covering additional advance procurement and advance construction of five more Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine hulls. The contract announcement noted this award also supports additional program execution in accordance with a Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement focused on “Obligations in Advance of […]

The Navy on Monday awarded General Dynamics Electric Boat a $2.28 billion cost-only modification covering additional advance procurement and advance construction of five more Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine hulls. The contract announcement noted this award also supports additional program execution in accordance with a Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement focused on “Obligations in Advance of […]

Rather than a test silo, the Air Force will use a launch pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., for the first flight test of an unarmed LGM-35A Sentinel missile by Northrop Grumman. “The first flight test was moved to a pad launch to allow for a more incremental approach to flight testing,” the Air […]

Rather than a test silo, the Air Force will use a launch pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., for the first flight test of an unarmed LGM-35A Sentinel missile by Northrop Grumman. “The first flight test was moved to a pad launch to allow for a more incremental approach to flight testing,” the Air […]

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) last week asked President Donald Trump’s pick to head the U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) not to “shield” nuclear weapons programs “from independent oversight.” During the confirmation hearing for Vice Adm. Richard Correll to be STRATCOM commander last week in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Warren said the nation’s nuclear […]

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) last week asked President Donald Trump’s pick to head the U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) not to “shield” nuclear weapons programs “from independent oversight.” During the confirmation hearing for Vice Adm. Richard Correll to be STRATCOM commander last week in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Warren said the nation’s nuclear […]

Next month, Air Force personnel from the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (AFB), Ariz. in the Sonoran Desert plan to show industry representatives examples of B-52H carriage equipment. This will be equipment that the service is looking to modify for the future AGM-181 Long Range Standoff (LRSO) nuclear […]

Next month, Air Force personnel from the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (AFB), Ariz. in the Sonoran Desert plan to show industry representatives examples of B-52H carriage equipment. This will be equipment that the service is looking to modify for the future AGM-181 Long Range Standoff (LRSO) nuclear […]

Northrop Grumman and the Air Force have completed a critical design review for the launch support system of the LGM-35A Sentinel future intercontinental ballistic missile, the defense contractor said Monday. The launch support system is a digital command and control infrastructure for Sentinel operations and launches. According to the press release, the review was executed […]

Fueled by its Defense Systems and Mission Systems segments, Northrop Grumman, which is developing the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile, Tuesday reported strong third quarter results wherein earnings rose Net earnings for the third quarter, ended Sept. 30 and listed in the company’s 10-Q form, were $1.1 billion, up from $1.026 year-over-year. Net income rose 7% […]

Fueled by its Defense Systems and Mission Systems segments, Northrop Grumman, which is developing the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile, Tuesday reported strong third quarter results wherein earnings rose Net earnings for the third quarter, ended Sept. 30 and listed in the company’s 10-Q form, were $1.1 billion, up from $1.026 year-over-year. Net income rose 7% […]

Northrop Grumman and the Air Force have completed a critical design review for the launch support system of the LGM-35A Sentinel future intercontinental ballistic missile, the defense contractor said Monday. The launch support system is a digital command and control infrastructure for Sentinel operations and launches. According to the press release, the review was executed […]

As the Air Force restructures the program for the future intercontinental ballistic missile, it wants to solidify requirements for the missile silos and launch centers before possibly recertifying the program for engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) in 2027. In an interview, run by Exchange Monitor affiliate Defense Daily in September at the Air and Space […]

As the Air Force restructures the program for the future intercontinental ballistic missile, it wants to solidify requirements for the missile silos and launch centers before possibly recertifying the program for engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) in 2027. In an interview, run by Exchange Monitor affiliate Defense Daily in September at the Air and Space […]

The Navy’s Strategic Systems Program conducted four missile test flights of unarmed Trident II D5LE missiles from an Ohio-class nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) off Florida’s east coast  from Sept. 17 to 21.  The tests were launched from a submerged SSBN and landed in a “broad ocean area of the Atlantic Ocean,” the Navy said.  […]

Three big nuclear Navy contract wins, two for the Trident II missile and one in maintaining and modernizing the Navy’s nuclear-powered attack submarine, were announced on the Pentagon’s website. The announcement of multiple military contracts came Sept. 30, hours before the government shut down. GSE Dynamics, a Norfolk, Va.-based engineering and manufacturing company, was one […]

The Navy’s Strategic Systems Program conducted four missile test flights of unarmed Trident II D5LE missiles from an Ohio-class nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) off Florida’s east coast  from Sept. 17 to 21.  The tests were launched from a submerged SSBN and landed in a “broad ocean area of the Atlantic Ocean,” the Navy said.  […]