Boeing remains prime on US Minuteman ICBM guidance system
The Minuteman guidance system have logged more than 40 million hours of continuous operation. (Photo: US DoD)
Boeing will continue to to maintain readiness and accuracy of the Minuteman nuclear missile's guidance system for the US Air Force.
The USAF has selected Boeing as prime contractor for the US's intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) guidance subsystem support.
The contract, announced on 1 February, is worth up to $1.6 billion over 16 years and will be primarily performed in Utah and Ohio.
Boeing said it will maintain the ‘around-the-clock readiness and accuracy’ of the Minuteman ICBM guidance system to ensure safe, secure and effective strategic deterrence into the late 2030s.
The guidance system has logged more than 40 million hours of continuous operation.
‘We built the Minuteman’s guidance system, so no one knows it like Boeing. Our highly specialised facilities and top-flight engineers enable us to sustain it with unmatched quality and precision,’ Ted Kerzie, programme director of Strategic Deterrence Systems at Boeing, noted in a statement.
‘We look forward to continuing our partnership with the air force on this all-important mission.’
BAE Systems is also supporting the US's ICBM efforts. Last summer the USAF Nuclear Weapon Center awarded the company a contract with a potential value of $12 billion to continue providing integration and engineering services for ICBMs.
Work on this contract is expected to be completed at Hill AFB, Utah, by December 2040.
The main function of the Integration Support Contract (ISC) 2.0 is to support the LGM-30 Minuteman III, the next-generation LGM-35A Sentinel missile and any future ICBM developed during the term of the contract.
BAE Systems has acted as the prime contractor for the ISC since 2013.
More from Defence Notes
-
![What role could holographic and 3D capabilities play in the warfare of tomorrow]()
What role could holographic and 3D capabilities play in the warfare of tomorrow
Holographic and 3D technologies have been lauded by some for their ability to provide technical and operational advantages for military training and planning. But is the hype truly justified?
-
![Unfolding the Golden Dome for America: Seven things you should know about the programme]()
Unfolding the Golden Dome for America: Seven things you should know about the programme
Shephard talked to multiple experts about the most pressing concerns and considerations regarding the air defence system advocated by President Trump.
-
![Industry welcomes UK Strategic Defence Review, but pressure remains on future defence investment plans]()
Industry welcomes UK Strategic Defence Review, but pressure remains on future defence investment plans
While industry reception to the SDR has been positive, questions still remain from analyst and trade associations about what this could mean for future investment and the future UK Defence Industrial Strategy.
-
![UK Strategic Defence Review puts emphasis on autonomy, airpower and munitions]()
UK Strategic Defence Review puts emphasis on autonomy, airpower and munitions
The UK’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR) was launched as one of the first acts of the UK’s new Labour Government in June last year. The review has recommended a major big-picture reform of the country’s forces.
-
![Foreshadowing of UK defence review suggests it is light on programme details]()
Foreshadowing of UK defence review suggests it is light on programme details
The UK’s Strategic Defence Review (SDR) was designed to answer two questions: What is needed to fix UK defence and make it fit for the 2040s, and what do you get for a fixed financial profile? The SDR outlines that work still needs to be done on specifics.
