Northrop Grumman, US Air Force Unveil New Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Launch Silo Design

The US Air Force and Northrop Grumman have begun construction on a prototype launch silo for the LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile at Northrop Grumman’s Strategic Missile Test and Production Complex in Utah. The new silo design is intended to enable modern construction techniques and validate the design before operational deployment. A second round of prototyping is planned for this summer, with the first missile pad launch currently planned for 2027. The program is part of a broader restructuring effort, triggered by cost overruns and a Nunn-McCurdy Act breach in 2024. The US Air Force plans to build 24 launch centers and three missile wing command centers across five states, with a revised cost estimate expected by the end of 2026. The program’s progress comes as the US Air Force takes steps to transition from the aging Minuteman III silos, with the first silo expected to be decommissioned in the next 15 years.