The Air Force’s next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile has a new moniker.
Known by the clunky name of Ground Based Strategic Deterrent, or GBSD, the weapon system under development has officially been designated as Sentinel.
Land-based ICBMs have made up one part of the nation’s nuclear triad for decades.
“The name Sentinel recognizes the mindset that thousands of airmen, past and present, have brought to the deterrence mission, and will serve as a reminder for those who operate, secure and maintain this system in the future about the discipline and responsibility their duty entails,” Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said.
The Air Force determined the Sentinel would provide continuity in strategic deterrence and cost less than extending the life of the current ICBM fleet, comprised of the aging Minuteman III.
Replacing the 1970s-era missile modernizes the ground-based leg of the nuclear triad and brings the Minuteman’s more than 50 years of service to a close.
Sentinel should be ready to start replacing the Minuteman weapons in 2029, according to projections.
Minuteman III missiles, which marked their 50th anniversary in 2020 and have 400 weapons sitting on alert, have already received some upgrades designed to extend their life until a replacement is ready.
Sentinel will incorporate low risk, technically mature components, and feature a modular architecture that can easily incorporate emerging technology to adapt as needed.
Additionally, it will be easier to maintain than the Minuteman system, officials said.
The new Sentinel fleet would be designed for operation into the 2070s.
“Sentinel is the next-generation, capable ICBM we need,” said Gen. Anthony Cotton, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command. “Nuclear deterrence is central to our defense posture and more important now than it’s ever been.
“This system will be a highly resilient and capable deterrent that will bring global stability to us and our allies for decades to come.”
Existing missile bases — Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Montana; Minot Air Force Base in Minot, North Dakota; and F.E. Warren Air Force Base near Cheyenne, Wyoming — will be home to the new system, which is designed to maximize the existing facilities.
In 2020, the Air Force awarded a Northrop Grumman-led team the GBSD contract for the engineering and manufacturing development phase.
Sentinel’s test flights will occur from Vandenberg Space Force Base, officials have said.
Additionally, the Air Force has picked Vandenberg as the preferred location for Sentinel’s formal training unit.
Sentinel joins a lengthy list of other ICBMs that have been tested at Vandenberg and, in some cases, stood alert elsewhere through the decades, including Thor, Atlas, Titan, Minuteman I and Minuteman II, and Midgetman.
A newer weapon, dubbed Missile Experiment or MX and later renamed Peacekeeper, was retired under a nuclear arms pact. Peacekeeper had been designed to carry up to 10 nuclear warheads per missile.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.