About Sentinel

Northrop Grumman Awarded Contract to Replace the Aging ICBM System

A rendering of the new LGM-35 Sentinel missile flying at twilight.

Air Force Personnel looking at computers

Future Strategic Deterrence

For the first time in history, the U.S. is facing two near-peer adversaries who are rapidly expanding and modernizing their nuclear weapons. Recognizing the need to maintain a credible deterrent amidst an evolving global security environment, the U.S. is modernizing each leg of the triad.

Minuteman III has served as the ground-based leg of the triad since the 1970s and is the oldest deployed strategic ballistic missile in the world. It has undergone three service-life extension programs to ensure safety and reliability, but major components are aging out, including boosters and guidance systems.

About Sentinel

The U.S. Air Force’s LGM-35A Sentinel weapon system is a critical modernization of the ground-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad, the bedrock of U.S. national security. The Sentinel system replaces the aging Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system, which has been in service for over 50 years.

As the Sentinel prime contractor, Northrop Grumman is producing a modern, integrated system designed to be adaptable to meet future threats and keep pace with emerging technologies. A cornerstone capability of the triad, the system will support global stability by serving as a safe, secure, and credible deterrent that will protect our nation and assure allies for decades to come.

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Building Upon the Minuteman Legacy

Sentinel is not Minuteman IV. It is, however, a continuation of decades of experience protecting the U.S. and its allies. This new ICBM system is the next evolution of missile and ground infrastructure technology, featuring significant improvements to range, accuracy, maintainability, and communications.

Sentinel brings enduring strategic deterrence, game-changing capability, and needed quality of life improvements for missileers.

ICBM: Over 65 Years of Technical Leadership