SENTINEL MISSILE - DEFENCE

SENTINEL MISSILE - DEFENCE

News: The LGM-35A Sentinel, the Air Force's planned next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile, is facing severe cost overruns that triggered a critical Nunn-McCurdy breach.

 

What’s in the news?

About Sentinel Nuclear Missile

The LGM-35A Sentinel, developed by Northrop Grumman for the USAF, will replace the LGM-30 Minuteman III ICBMs. Incorporating digital engineering and a modular open system architecture, it will reduce life-cycle costs and enhance interoperability.

Equipped with a W87-1 thermonuclear warhead, it will feature advanced launch, flight, and command systems, and maintain security during warhead maintenance. The missile will have a range exceeding 5,500 km, capable of reaching global targets within 30 minutes.

 

Background

  • The Sentinel nuclear missile program was initiated to modernize the U.S. ICBM fleet, ensuring a reliable and credible deterrent against nuclear threats in the evolving global security landscape.
  • The program underscores the importance of maintaining strategic stability and a formidable defense posture

 

Key Features

  • Modernization: The Sentinel is designed to replace the Minuteman III missiles, which have been in service since the early 1970s.

·         This modernization is crucial due to the advancing threats and the aging infrastructure of the existing missiles.

  • Technological Advancements: The Sentinel incorporates state-of-the-art technologies to enhance its precision, reliability, and survivability. ]

·         This includes advanced guidance systems, propulsion technology, and improved warhead delivery mechanisms.

  • Strategic Importance: The Sentinel missile is a critical component of the U.S. nuclear triad, which also includes submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and strategic bombers.

·         It ensures that the U.S. maintains a second-strike capability, which is essential for deterrence.

Source: https://www.defensenews.com/air/2024/07/08/pentagon-keeps-commitment-to-sentinel-nuclear-missile-as-costs-balloon/