Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force are accelerating prototyping of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile system’s launch silo tube with a test of concept. The tube is the centerpiece of a new modular infrastructure design concept, developed with teammate Bechtel, which will enable future maintainability, drive down costs, and expedite fielding of 450 future Sentinel launch silos. The Sentinel program modernizes the ground-based leg of America’s strategic nuclear triad, designed to remain viable through 2075.
Within three months of concept review by the Air Force, Northrop Grumman and Bechtel broke ground on a launch silo tube prototype. This will test and validate the structural design and construction approach, underscoring mission readiness to scale production. The new modular approach is expected to compress the multi-year silo-development timeline into a short window, reducing risk and accelerating fielding on the path to flight test. The design prioritizes maintainability, ensuring infrastructure incorporates the needs of airmen in the field while enhancing efficiency and reducing long-term costs.
Sarah Willoughby, Vice President and General Manager of Strategic Deterrent Systems at Northrop Grumman, stated: “Sentinel is a national security priority, and proving out the launch silo concept is critical to creating a repeatable approach that will accelerate deployment of a fully fielded Sentinel system.” Mike Costas, Bechtel Senior Vice President, added: “The prototype missile silo builds the foundation needed for us to be successful in the field. It builds confidence in our execution plans while mitigating risks to delivery.”
Northrop Grumman has demonstrated all propulsive elements of the Sentinel missile, including test firing stages one, two, and three, and completing a hot fire test of the post-boost propulsion system. The team also completed the critical design review for the Sentinel Launch Support System, paving the way for system build, test, and qualification.
