The U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman have conducted a demonstration of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, stage-one solid rocket motor on Thursday at the company’s facility in Promontory, Utah.
Modernizing ICBM Systems to Address Nuclear Threats
The full-scale qualification static fire test verified the validity of the motor’s design, the Air Force said Thursday. During the test, the accuracy of digital engineering models were proven accurate, taking the stage-one solid rocket motor one step closer to obtaining full qualification. This development also moves the ICBM modernization program forward towards production and deployment as it builds upon previous static fire tests of the second and third stages of the Sentinel program.
Experts from Northrop Grumman and the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center are currently analyzing the test results.
The Sentinel program is set to replace the Minuteman III ICBM weapon system. This ICBM modernization initiative is vital to national defense particularly against nuclear threats.
“As we modernize our nuclear triad, the ICBM Systems Directorate is driven to securely deliver America’s ICBM capabilities,” said Brig. Gen. William Rogers, director of the ICBM Systems Directorate of the Air Force Nuclear Weapon Center. “This brings us one step closer to fielding the Sentinel weapon system, a vital component of our nation’s strategic deterrence and a testament to our unwavering commitment to national security.”
