Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) and the U.S. Air Force reported continued progress on the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program, with a first flight targeted for 2027 and initial operational capability expected in the early 2030s.
The LGM-35A Sentinel system is being developed to replace the aging Minuteman III ground-based nuclear deterrent across a footprint spanning more than 32,000 square miles in five U.S. states. The program involves over 500 industry partners and a workforce of more than 10,000 people.
Northrop Grumman said it has invested $13.5 billion over the past five years in infrastructure and research and development tied to national security programs, including $2 billion allocated to expanding solid rocket motor capacity to support Sentinel production.
Key milestones include the assembly of the first three-stage booster and the production of solid rocket motors for the first five planned flight tests. Testing progress features two successful interstage separation tests and a shroud fly-off test, validating stage separation and payload protection systems.
The missile’s guidance and control systems have also advanced, with hardware completing an initial sled test that exposed the Navigation Inertial Measurement System to flight-like conditions. The system incorporates composite materials that are around 70% lighter than those used in the Minuteman III.
On the infrastructure side, construction has begun on a prototype launch silo tube to evaluate structural design and building techniques. The program’s Launch Support System—a digital command and control platform—has also passed its critical design review.
“The Sentinel program exemplifies what’s possible when a bold acquisition approach meets relentless innovation,” said Sarah Willoughby, vice president and general manager of strategic deterrent systems at Northrop Grumman.
The Sentinel program is expected to run through 2075, with phased development, construction, and deployment activities planned across multiple missile wing locations as it replaces legacy Minuteman III infrastructure.