Delivery Systems & Nuclear Triad

The U.S. Air Force said that the service and Northrop Grumman conducted “a full-scale qualification static fire test of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile stage-one solid rocket motor” on March 6 at the company’s site in Promontory, Utah.  Northrop Grumman is building the LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) to replace the Minuteman III ICBM […]

Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) wants the Air Force to ensure that its upcoming 2026 budget has funds to update weapons storage for the future AGM-181 long-range standoff nuclear-tipped missile, as well as for the intercontinental ballistic missile bases. The budget would also need to ensure that the service upgrades its three intercontinental ballistic missile bases […]

The U.S. Air Force said that the service and Northrop Grumman conducted “a full-scale qualification static fire test of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile stage-one solid rocket motor” on Thursday at the company’s site in Promontory, Utah.  Northrop Grumman is building the LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) to replace the Minuteman III ICBM as […]

The Congressional Research Service sent and updated a report to Congress Feb. 12 on the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile. “Despite the [Joe Biden] Administration’s objections, Congress has provided continued funding for the missile and the associated warhead,” the “In Focus” report said.  The fiscal 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) required the National Nuclear Security […]

WASHINGTON — Will the U.S. Air Force need to build new intercontinental ballistic missile “launch facilities”–siloes–to accommodate the LGM-35A Sentinel? “Looks to me like they’re going to have to,” Sen. Angus King (I-Me.), the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee’s strategic forces panel, told Exchange Monitor-affiliate Defense Daily Tuesday. The provision of multiple […]

The Congressional Research Service sent and updated a report to Congress Feb. 12 on the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile. “Despite the [Joe Biden] Administration’s objections, Congress has provided continued funding for the missile and the associated warhead,” the “In Focus” report said.  The fiscal 2024 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) required the National Nuclear Security […]

U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command said Wednesday it conducted a routine reliability flight test of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile at 1 a.m. Pacific time from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. As in previous tests, the reentry vehicle traveled about 4,200 miles to the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command’s Ronald […]

Earnings rose at Parsons, Chantilly, Va., in the fourth quarter and the full year of 2024, the company reported early Wednesday. Net earnings for the fourth quarter ended Dec. 31 were $54 million or $ $0.49 a share, up from $49 million, or $0.39 a share, in the year-ago quarter. Quarterly revenue was $1.7 billion […]

U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command said Wednesday it conducted a routine reliability flight test of an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile at 1 a.m. Pacific time from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. As in previous tests, the reentry vehicle traveled about 4,200 miles to the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command’s Ronald […]

Certain segments for the intercontinental ballistic missile Sentinel are being put on hold while the program undergoes restructuring, the Air Force said in a statement Monday. “The Air Force has ordered the Northrop Grumman Corporation to suspend the design, testing, and construction related to the Command and Launch Segment,” a spokesperson said in the statement. […]

Certain segments for the intercontinental ballistic missile Sentinel are being put on hold while the program undergoes restructuring, the Air Force said in a statement Monday. “The Air Force has ordered the Northrop Grumman Corporation to suspend the design, testing, and construction related to the Command and Launch Segment,” a spokesperson said in the statement. […]

Lockheed Martin won a modification to a previously-awarded contract to work on advanced design and development for the Trident II Life Extension 2 Alteration, the Department of Defense said Jan. 31. The cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to the existing contract for the sea-based leg of the nuclear triad was awarded on a sole source basis, […]

The U.S. Air Force is considering the replacement of flight control units for the engines on the three-stage Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile by Boeing. The 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base (AFB), Wyo., the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom AFB, Mont., and the 91st Missile Wing at Minot AFB, N.D. operate […]

Northrop Grumman expects its B-21 stealth bomber and the Sentinel next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile “to be less than 10 percent of sales in the company, but continuing to gradually increase from ’24 into ’25,” CEO Kathy Warden said in a quarterly earnings call last week. Northrop Grumman introduced guidance for 2025, with sales projected to […]

Lockheed Martin won a modification to a previously=awarded contract to work on advanced design and development for the Trident II Life Extension 2 Alteration, the Department of Defense said Friday. The cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to the existing contract for the sea-based leg of the nuclear triad was awarded on a sole source basis, according […]

The U.S. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center’s intercontinental ballistic missile directorate has awarded BAE Systems a more than two-year $1.2-billion contract extension, keeping BAE on the project through July 2027.  The award came the day before BAE Systems’ nearly 12-year,  $1.9 billion support contract was set to expire.  The award comes as the Air Force […]

The U.S. Air Force is considering the replacement of flight control units for the engines on the three-stage Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile by Boeing. The 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base (AFB), Wyo., the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom AFB, Mont., and the 91st Missile Wing at Minot AFB, N.D. operate […]

ARLINGTON, Va. — James Peery, director of the Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories, told the Exchange Monitor Monday that the W80-4 had its first flight test on the Long Range Standoff Missile last week. Peery spoke with the Monitor after speaking at a panel at the Exchange Monitor’s annual Nuclear Deterrence Summit with Kim […]

As the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration awaits its marching orders from the President Donald Trump (R) administration, the Los Alamos National Laboratory is now saying it will get to an annual plutonium pit production goal of 30 “ASAP.” Such pits are the triggers for thermonuclear weapons. David Dooley, the associate laboratory director […]

ARLINGTON, Va. — There will likely be a 15-year minimum overlap in silos between the Sentinel and the last Minuteman III, an Air Force Global Strike Command leader said here Monday. “I think 15 years is probably an ambitious estimate,” Maj. Gen. Stacy Jo Huser, commander of the 20th Air Force in the Air Force […]

ARLINGTON, Va. — James Peery, director of the Department of Energy’s Sandia National Laboratories, told the Exchange Monitor Monday that the W80-4 had its first flight test on the Long Range Standoff Missile last week. Peery spoke with the Monitor after speaking at a panel at the Exchange Monitor’s annual Nuclear Deterrence Summit with Kim […]

ARLINGTON, Va. — There will likely be a 15 year minimum overlap in silos between the Sentinel and the last Minuteman III, an Air Force Global Strike Command leader said here Monday. “I think 15 years is probably an ambitious estimate,” Maj. Gen. Stacy Jo Huser, commander of the 20th Air Force in the Air […]

WASHINGTON — Peter Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s (R) intended nominee for Secretary of Defense, was questioned Tuesday by a Senate committee about his fitness for the role, including his knowledge of the U.S. nuclear weapons enterprise. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), whose state houses silos for land-based, nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missiles, asked whether Hegseth, a former […]

WASHINGTON — Peter Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s (R) intended nominee for Secretary of Defense, was questioned Tuesday by a Senate committee about his fitness for the role, including his knowledge of the U.S. nuclear weapons enterprise. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), whose state houses the silos for the ground-based strategic deterrent, asked whether Hegseth, a former […]

LIVERMORE, Ca. — With development of the Sentinel missile largely paused, the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory here is doing what “relevant flight testing” it can on the missile’s W87-0 warhead, a senior lab official at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory told the Exchange Monitor Tuesday.  “There have not been Sentinel flights associated with it [the […]

The White House Office of Management and Budget last week requested another $1.59 billion from Congress to continue building the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine. A senior Navy official told reporters Monday that OMB requested two anomalies divided into $1.59 billion to continue the Columbia-class (SSBN) program during a continuing resolution. The SSBN anomaly is aimed […]

President Joe Biden (D) on Tuesday nominated Air Force Major General Mark Pye to take command of the Air Force Nuclear Systems Center in New Mexico as a lieutenant general. Pye, whose promotion requires Senate approval, is currently the director of programs at the office of the deputy chief of staff for plans and programs […]

Development of the nuclear warhead for the Air Force’s next cruise missile so far is not affected by the early parallel development of a sea-launched variant of the warhead for the Navy, the commander of the eighth Air Force said Wednesday. “I have not heard anything like that at all,” Major General Jason Armagost, commander […]

Development of the nuclear warhead for the Air Force’s next cruise missile so far is not affected by the early parallel development of a sea-launched variant of the warhead for the Navy, the commander of the eighth Air Force said Wednesday. “I have not heard anything like that at all,” Major General Jason Armagost, commander […]

President Joe Biden (D) on Tuesday nominated Air Force Major General Mark Pye to take command of the Air Force Nuclear Systems Center in New Mexico as a lieutenant general. Pye, whose promotion requires Senate approval, is currently the director of programs at the office of the deputy chief of staff for plans and programs […]