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2026-05-28 10:49:35
[US Air Force requests to nearly double funding for Sentinel missile development, reaching $4.5 billion in fiscal year 2027] (1) US Air Force budget documents show that due to project restructuring, it has requested to nearly double the funding for the development of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile in fiscal year 2027, from $2.6 billion in fiscal year 2026 to $4.5 billion. (2) Of this $4.5 billion, $1.45 billion will be used for engines and guidance systems, and nearly $1 billion for command and communication systems. The project was in trouble in 2024 due to a total cost overrun of 81% to $140.9 billion. The Pentagon decided to continue development, but withdrew some of the authorizations from the prime contractor Northrop Grumman and strengthened oversight. (3) The Sentinel missile is planned to replace the current Minuteman III in the 2030s. The first test launch is scheduled for 2027, and the first silo launch is scheduled for 2030. The United States plans to complete the full modernization of its land-based nuclear arsenal by 2038.
