Sentinel ICBM first flight date now in flux, Air Force says
The troubled ICBM program was supposed to fly for the first time in 2026, but now the Air Force says that the date is unknown.
Air Force now expects Sentinel ICBMs will ‘predominantly’ need new silos
“Part of the requirements, initially — ten years ago when this program was started — was to reuse the holes, the missile holes at the launch facilities,” said Air Force Gen. Thomas Bussiere. “Shockingly enough, if we look at it, that may not be the answer.”
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Cybersecurity skills don’t come from a manual, but from practical hands-on training
Cybersecurity skills must evolve in near-real time as Zero Day threats continue and AI provides new challenges.
It’s time to put American bombers back on alert
The US bomber fleet has been off alert since 1991, but the nuclear threats of China, Russia and North Korea means it's time to go back to the Cold War posture, argue two nuclear power advocates.
Air Force could reopen competition for Sentinel ICBM ground infrastructure, Hunter says
“I think there are elements of the ground infrastructure where there may be opportunities for competition that we can add to the acquisition strategy for Sentinel," said Andrew Hunter, the Air Force's top acquisition official.
Sentinel ICBM faces year delay, Air Force One and F-15EX also at risk: GAO
A new watchdog report warns of a year-long delay for America's next ICBM, as well as potential schedule slips for F-15EX, KC-46A and the Air Force One replacement.
Air Force seeks industry input for next-gen ICBM reentry vehicle
The new reentry vehicle will be mounted on the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile, with the goal of awarding a contract in fiscal 2026.
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DoD rejiggers $96 billion Sentinel ICBM program to minimize delay
As officials described how they'll spend billions on America's nuclear arsenal and presented rosy outlooks, California's Rep. John Garamendi retorted, "The fact of the matter is every single one of these systems are behind schedule and over budget, every single one of them."
Air Force’s future spending outlook shows big jumps for new, marquee weapons
Seeking to pivot to a new generation of air power by fielding platforms like the Next Generation Air Dominance Fighter, the Air Force is planning significant investments into future technologies, according to service budget documents, which also show that fiscal 2024 could be a turning point for hypersonics.
Air Force’s FY24 request seeks to retire 310 older planes to invest in its future
Building off trends established by the fiscal 2023 budget, the service is asking for even more retirements in FY24 while seeking to launch new efforts like a program to field autonomous wingmen. “We've built a budget that we think has a reasonable balance between current-, midterm- and longer-term investments, if you will, or capabilities,” Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said.
Sentinel ICBM ‘on track’ for flight test this year: Senior USAF official
According to the Congressional Research Service, due to its modular design and increased throw weight, the Sentinel ICBM could be equipped "with two or three warheads to meet the international security environment."
Michigan: Arsenal of Democracy for dangerous times
Michigan’s defense ecosystem and expertise makes it a special asset for production.
USAF to begin Minuteman III silo conversion to house Sentinel ICBM by decade’s end
The scale of the silo conversion effort is something the Air Force nuclear complex hasn't seen in "over 50 or 60 years," Lt. Gen. James Dawkins, deputy chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration, said today.
Sentinel and Raider: Where these two legs of the nuclear triad stand today
The new ICBM and B-21 bomber will be a “stabilizing force” for strategic deterrence that is born digital to meet evolving threats.
Air Force’s nuclear modernization bill is cramping fighter jet procurement
“Ideally, I'd like to get to higher [fighter procurement rates],” Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown said. “If I had a big blank check, I'd actually take care of it all.”
Next-gen ICBM gets new name: Sentinel
The name Sentinel conjures the idea of a soldier tirelessly keeping watch — not unlike the poor souls pulling a marathon 72-hour alert during the a blizzard at Minot Air Force Base, N.D.