According to new information, the US military has tested the LGM-35A Sentinel ballistic missile, which is expected to replace the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile in the US nuclear triad. This news became known through the commander of the US Air Force.
"The US Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center and defense company Northrop Grumman conducted static test launches of the LGM-35A Sentinel earlier this month," the commander said.
Earlier, the US Pentagon announced a successful test launch of a hypersonic missile developed by weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin. The weapon appears to have been launched from an aircraft carrier, while it is said that it could cover a distance of about 300 nautical miles, i.e. 555 kilometers and reached a maximum speed of mach 5 (6,174 km/h).
What Do We Know About The Nuclear "Sentinel"?
The LGM-35A Sentinel, also known as the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), is a future US ground-launched intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) currently under development.
The weapon is said to replace Minuteman III missiles, which are located in North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska and Colorado. Its operation is scheduled to begin in 2029 and end in 2075.
In 2020, the US Air Force signed a $13.3 billion contract with defense manufacturer Northrop Grumman to develop the LGM-35A Sentinel, shortly after Boeing withdrew its bid. Northrop Grumman will work with Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Bechtel, Honeywell, Aerojet Rocketdyne, Parsons, Textron and other companies to produce the final product.
In March 2019, the W87 Mod 1 (W87-1) thermonuclear warhead was selected for what was then known as the GBSD missile, replacing the W78 warhead currently in use on Minuteman III missiles. The LGM-35 is scheduled to go into production for the first time in 2028 with W87-0 warheads, with production switching to the W87-1 standard from 2030 onwards. This will give the US Air Force flexibility in case the W87-1 warhead is delayed.
The range of the future US missile is currently unknown, but the 400 existing Minuteman III nuclear ballistic missiles are said to have a range of 9,650 kilometers. The LGM-30 Minuteman III missile has been in service in the United States since the 1970s.
