On Tuesday, 17 February 2026, the press service of the United States Air Force (USAF) announced that the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program – under which Northrop Grumman is developing the new LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) – is back on track. By the end of the year, a Milestone B decision and the construction of a full prototype are expected to be announced, with a test launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base scheduled for next year.
Final assembly of the LGM-35A Sentinel prototype, including the first-, second-, and third-stage solid rocket motors and both interstage separation mechanisms. The next step involves integration of the reentry vehicle for the training warhead, forming the first Sentinel test missile / Photo: United States Air Force
Leveraging progress achieved over the past 12–18 months, the objectives of the 2026 National Defense Strategy, and the establishment in August 2025 of a Direct Reporting Portfolio Manager (DRPM) for Critical Major Weapon Systems (CMWS), reporting to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, the previously delayed schedule has been accelerated. The goal is to achieve Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the system in early 2030.
During the restructuring of the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program, the United States Air Force and its industry partners conducted key technical work on the missile, command and launch systems, future operational unit command centers, and supporting infrastructure. These sustained efforts have delivered measurable progress over the past year, reducing technical risk and shaping future integration activities.
Last fall, the program completed assembly of the missile’s three stages (see main photo) and finalized a digital twin model, which will be used for transport and deployment planning activities in preparation for the first flight.
The Air Force and Northrop Grumman successfully completed a full-scale qualification test of the second-stage solid rocket motor in July 2025. This followed the successful qualification of the first-stage motor in March 2025, as well as a developmental test of the second-stage motor.
In September of last year, the program completed a critical design review of the Sentinel Launch Support System, which will support all tests and operational launches throughout the system’s service life.
Collectively, these achievements provide tangible evidence of technical maturity and strengthen confidence in meeting program decision timelines, enabling the transition from development to preparation for the test phase.
As the technology matures, the Air Force is actively preparing its missile wings for the operational transition to the LGM-35A Sentinel. Preparations reached a visible milestone last fall when Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) deactivated the first LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile silo — a carefully planned step in the transition from Minuteman III to Sentinel.
This effort is managed by Site Activation Task Force (SATAF) teams established at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Minot Air Force Base, and Vandenberg Space Force Base. These expert teams operate on site, integrating with local units to methodically plan the deactivation of legacy facilities, construction work, and preparatory activities in a deliberate, phased manner.
Image: Northrop Grumman
The restructured program incorporates key lessons learned in recent years to ensure maximum efficiency. The decision to construct new silos, for example, avoids the unpredictable costs and safety risks associated with excavating and modernizing 450 unique structures built more than 50 years ago, and represents a clear example of choosing a path that delivers capability faster and with lower risk.
As early as this February, teams will begin construction of a prototype launch silo at Northrop Grumman’s facility in Promontory, Utah. This critical effort will allow engineers to test and refine modern construction techniques, validating the new silo design before work begins at operational missile bases.
This summer, construction activities at F.E. Warren Air Force Base will validate innovative methods for building weapons corridors, which are essential to streamlining the installation of thousands of miles of secure infrastructure and accelerating fielding of the system.
Meanwhile, foundation work for fixed facilities is already underway. The first of three new wing command centers is taking shape at F.E. Warren, while key test facilities are under construction at Vandenberg Space Force Base to support the future flight-test campaign.
It is worth recalling that on February 16, 2023, Northrop Grumman announced the successful completion of a series of wind tunnel tests of a scale model of the future missile. On April 5 of the same year, the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center (AFNWC) issued a request for information regarding new warheads under the codename Next Generation Reentry Vehicle (NGRV).
On January 16, 2024, Northrop Grumman also announced completion of a full-scale static test of the Sentinel second-stage rocket motor, conducted at the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC) at Arnold Air Force Base, Tennessee. The test was performed in a vacuum chamber simulating flight in the upper atmosphere and space.
Shortly thereafter, on January 18, 2024, Reuters reported that the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program had exceeded its budget by at least 37%.
In total, more than 10,000 personnel across the United States will be involved in the GBSD program. According to the original United States Air Force assumptions, the LGM-35A Sentinel missiles are intended to ensure continuity of strategic deterrence and are projected to cost less than extending the service life of the current system, composed of aging LGM-30G Minuteman III missiles. Replacing missiles first deployed in the 1970s will modernize the land-based leg of the nuclear triad and bring to a close more than 60 years of Minuteman service.
