Delivery Systems & Nuclear Triad

If the Pentagon decides to increase production of the U.S. Air Force’s new B-21 stealth bomber it will require further investment by Northrop Grumman, which expects higher returns for early production aircraft, CEO Kathy Warden said Tuesday. Those investments would be on top of a $226 million pre-tax charge Northrop Grumman incurred in the first […]

The Senate wants the U.S. Air Force to consider simultaneous construction of silos for the Sentinel for the three missile wings, according to the Senate’s fiscal 2026 military construction, veterans affairs, and related agencies appropriations bill. The three missile wings for the Northrop Grumman LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile are the 90th at F.E. Warren […]

If the Pentagon decides to increase production of the U.S. Air Force’s new B-21 stealth bomber it will require further investment by Northrop Grumman, which expects higher returns for early production aircraft, CEO Kathy Warden said Tuesday. Those investments would be on top of a $226 million pre-tax charge Northrop Grumman incurred in the first […]

U.S. Air Force Gen. Thomas Bussiere, the seventh head of Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) since its founding in 2009, would become the second AFGSC commander to ascend to Air Force Vice Chief of Staff if approved by the Senate. President Donald Trump nominated Bussiere on July 15, according to a Congressional notice. Founded […]

Congressional defense authorizers would prohibit a reduction in U.S. intercontinental ballistic missiles below 400, and the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) wants initial operational capability (IOC) for the LGM-35A Sentinel future ICBM by fiscal 2033. The IOC for the LGM-35A Sentinel future ICBM by Northrop Grumman is more than four years past what the U.S. […]

The Senate Armed Services Committee’s fiscal 2026 bill would provide nearly $756 million for the U.S. Air Force AGM-181 Long Range Standoff (LRSO) nuclear-tipped cruise missile. The figure proposed for the LRSO by RTX–$149 million in the National Defense Authorization Act is more than requested by the Air Force. This number would include $141 million […]

The Columbia-class nuclear ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) is now projected to be ready by early 2029, Navy officials told lawmakers last week. The Navy says its highest priority program is the Columbia-class, starting with the future USS District of Columbia (SSBN-826), which it intends to gradually replace the aging Ohio-class SSBNs. Acting Chief of Naval […]

The Columbia-class nuclear ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) is now projected to be ready by early 2029, Navy officials told lawmakers last week. The Navy says its highest priority program is the Columbia-class, starting with the future USS District of Columbia (SSBN-826), which it intends to gradually replace the aging Ohio-class SSBNs. Acting Chief of Naval […]

The United States attacked Iran’s three key nuclear facilities early over the weekend in an attack President Donald Trump said “totally obliterated” the enrichment facilities. The strike, called Operation Midnight Hammer, solidified the nation’s involvement in the conflict between Israel and Iran, media analysts said late Saturday night. The attack involved American B-2 bombers, which […]

The U.S. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center may hold an industry day in late August to gauge industry capacity to support a possible intercontinental ballistic missile Development, Operations, and Sustainment program for the Boeing Minuteman III (MMIII). The industry day would be held at Hill Air Force Base (AFB), Utah. Such a contract would “ensure […]

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), in a naval hearing last week, said an aircraft carrying a B61 bomber will be a “much reduced cost” alternative to the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile aboard a conventional submarine. “I am not opposed to, you know, having a tactical nuclear option at sea,” Kelly said at a Senate Armed Services […]

BARKSDALE AFB, La.— Gen. Thomas Bussiere, head of the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) , told Exchange Monitor affiliate Defense Daily he is working on approving three plans to replace Minuteman III silos for the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile. Bussiere, the head of AFGSC since December 2022, discussed the command’s modernization efforts in an […]

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), in a naval hearing last week, said an aircraft carrying a B61 bomber will be a “much reduced cost” alternative to the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile aboard a conventional submarine. “I am not opposed to, you know, having a tactical nuclear option at sea,” Kelly said at a Senate Armed Services […]

BARKSDALE AFB, La.— Gen. Thomas Bussiere, head of the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) , told Exchange Monitor affiliate Defense Daily he is working on approving three plans to replace Minuteman III silos for the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile. Bussiere, the head of AFGSC since December 2022, discussed the command’s modernization efforts in an […]

The U.S. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center may hold an industry day in late August to gauge industry capacity to support a possible intercontinental ballistic missile Development, Operations, and Sustainment program for the Boeing Minuteman III (MMIII). The industry day would be held at Hill Air Force Base (AFB), Utah. Such a contract would “ensure […]

U.S. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said on Thursday that the Northrop Grumman LGM-35A Sentinel future intercontinental ballistic missile has consumed the most of his time than any program thus far in his two and a half weeks on the job. Meink said this as the Air Force restructures the program after a Nunn-McCurdy cost […]

The Secretary of the Navy Tuesday said the government should consider having the two submarine shipbuilders compete on the next version of the Virginia-class attack submarine (SSN). “I think in the next Virginia class, we have to really consider having HII [Huntington Ingalls Industries] build and EB build versus the two of them, co-building. I […]

U.S. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink said on Thursday that the Northrop Grumman LGM-35A Sentinel future intercontinental ballistic missile has consumed the most of his time than any program thus far in his two and a half weeks on the job. Meink said this as the Air Force restructures the program after a Nunn-McCurdy cost […]

The Department of Defense, in an online source sought notice May 29, requested industry responses for demilitarizing the Boeing LGM-30 Minuteman II intercontinental ballistic missile motors. The notice on procurement site sam.gov said the Space Systems Command’s Rocket Systems Launch Program is collecting information on vendor capabilities for demilitarization of motors through a method called […]

House Armed Services chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) said Thursday that he was “troubled” by the “past mismanagement” of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program, and that it’s time to “start walking the walk” on supporting Sentinel. “We must ensure Sentinel is ready in time to replace the current ICBMs before they reach the end of […]

The Department of Defense, in an online source sought notice May 29, requested industry responses for demilitarizing the Boeing LGM-30 Minuteman II intercontinental ballistic missile motors. The notice on procurement site sam.gov said the Space Systems Command’s Rocket Systems Launch Program is collecting information on vendor capabilities for demilitarization of motors through a method called […]

The percentage of U.S. Air Force bombers available for missions is in the 50s—a trend consistent with service-wide aircraft availability statistics, Gen. Thomas Bussiere, the head of Air Force Global Strike Command, said last week. Such availability takes into account aircraft in depot, while mission capability rates are typically higher, as they do not count […]

The percentage of U.S. Air Force bombers available for missions is in the 50s—a trend consistent with service-wide aircraft availability statistics, Gen. Thomas Bussiere, the head of Air Force Global Strike Command, said last week. Such availability takes into account aircraft in depot, while mission capability rates are typically higher, as they do not count […]

A non-Sentinel flight test for the W87-1 warhead is planned for next calendar year, a spokesperson for Sandia National Laboratories told the Exchange Monitor in an email this week. “Even with the disruption with the Sentinel program, we’ve been able to continue to keep that program on track,” Laura McGill, director of Sandia, said Monday […]

A team from the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., according to an AFGSC press release. The missile was equipped with a “single Mark-21 High Fidelity Re-entry Vehicle,” the release said. The re-entry vehicle traveled […]

The U.S. Air Force B-52 Radar Modernization Program (RMP) has exceeded the 15% significant unit cost increase threshold “due to design, production, and installation cost increases,” the Air Force said on Monday. The Air Force program executive office for bombers at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB), Ohio […]

A team from the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile Wednesday at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., according to an AFGSC press release. The missile was equipped with a “single Mark-21 High Fidelity Re-entry Vehicle,” the release said. The re-entry vehicle traveled […]

A non-Sentinel flight test for the W87-1 warhead is planned for next calendar year, a spokesperson for Sandia National Laboratories told the Exchange Monitor in an email Monday. “Even with the disruption with the Sentinel program, we’ve been able to continue to keep that program on track,” Laura McGill, director of Sandia, said in response […]

The U.S. Air Force B-52 Radar Modernization Program (RMP) has exceeded the 15% significant unit cost increase threshold “due to design, production, and installation cost increases,” the Air Force said on Monday. The Air Force program executive office for bombers at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB), Ohio […]

Vanderberg Space Force Base announced that the U.S. military will test-launch an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile in Santa Barbara County, Calif., Wednesday May 21. The Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) said it will launch the nuclear missile between 12:01 a.m. and 5:01 a.m. Pacific Times to “demonstrate the readiness of U.S. nuclear […]