Northrop Grumman tests future intercontinental ballistic missile LGM-35A Sentinel, which will replace Minuteman III and can carry a 300 kt TNT thermonuclear warhead

The US defence company Northrop Grumman has announced the successful testing of the future LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile. The test took place in a wind tunnel.

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The test is part of the United States Air Force's project to modernise the ground-based component of the nuclear triad. The LGM-35A Sentinel replaces the Minuteman III, which is the only silo-based missile in the US nuclear arsenal.

As part of the test, Northrop Grumman conducted a design maturity assessment. To do so, large models of the Sentinel were developed and subjected to simulations to hypersonic levels. Engineers collected data to test the ballistic missile's capabilities under different loads, speeds and atmospheric conditions.

Northrop Grumman noted the importance of testing the LGM-35A Sentinel in the wind tunnel. In particular, the test allowed it to test the company's digital designs and gather data to be used to make engineering decisions in the future.

Northrop Grumman conducted the tests across the US at industrial and government sites. It took less than a year. The Sentinel missile development programme has involved more than 100,000 US professionals.

The LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile got its current name less than a year ago in April 2022. Prior to that, it was known as the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD). The development programme will cost $13.3 billion, with Northrop Grumman subcontractors Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Bechtel, Honeywell, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Parsons and Textron.

The LGM-35A Sentinel will be installed in silos located in Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Wyoming and Colorado. The missile will be capable of carrying a W87 mod 0 (300 kt TNT) thermonuclear warhead. The Sentinel is expected to enter service in 2029 and last until 2075.

Source: Northrop Grumman