The House of Representatives fiscal 2026 national defense authorization bill, passed last week, would require the U.S. Air Force to submit to lawmakers a plan to sustain aging components on Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The annual plan would need to be submitted on LGM-35A Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) by Boeing until the LGM-35A Sentinel being developed by Northrop Grumman reaches full deployment.
“After the date of the enactment of this act, and with each budget submitted to Congress pursuant to such section until the under secretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment determines the LGM–35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile reaches full operational capacity, the secretary of the Air Force, in consultation with the under secretary, shall submit to the congressional defense committees a strategy, with respect to the LGM–30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles, associated ground systems, and other supporting systems to address aging components and maximize the end-of-life margin,” according to Section 1624 of the House bill.
Air Force options include keeping Minuteman III until 2050.
The Pentagon acquisition chief is to review each annual Minuteman III sustainment strategy by the Air Force to determine whether it is sufficient. Each strategy is to include a “comprehensive identification of all significant age-related and supportability challenges for the LGM–30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles that includes a description of efforts of the secretary to address each such challenge; and activities the [Air Force] secretary intends to carry out to address each such challenge.” according to the House bill.
As for the Senate Armed Services Committee’s version of the fiscal 2026 national defense authorization bill, it would require Sentinel to reach initial operational capability by Sept. 30, 2033–the last day of fiscal 2033.
Exchange Monitor affiliate Defense Daily first published a version of this article.