Northrop Grumman to help keep Minuteman III going until 2040
An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operational test in 2019. (Photo: USAF/Airman 1st Class Hanah Abercrombie)
Minuteman engineering and programme management support deal is worth $2.31 billion.
The US Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center has awarded Northrop Grumman a $2.31 billion sole-source contract to provide Minuteman III engineering support and programme management support services.
The deal includes an 18.5-year ordering period for assistance to the intercontinental ballistic missile programme, meaning that work is expected to be completed by November 2040.
‘Work shall be in areas including, but not limited to sustaining engineering, maintenance engineering, modification of systems and equipment, hardware and software maintenance, developmental and production engineering, procurement, replenishment, repair and refurbishment’, the DoD announced on 20 April.
It added: ‘The primary focus shall be to identify ageing mechanism[s], anomalous behaviour, and ensure any modifications or changes to the system which shall maintain and/or improve system-level performance.’
Keeping all or part of the Minuteman III arsenal in service until 2040 means there will be some overlap with the new Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) designed to replace the older ICBMs from the late 2020s.
As part of our promise to deliver comprehensive coverage to our Defence Insight and Premium News subscribers, our curated defence news content provides the latest industry updates, contract awards and programme milestones.
More from Defence Notes
-
![Canada seeks to strengthen industrial ties with the US on classified programmes]()
Canada seeks to strengthen industrial ties with the US on classified programmes
Ottawa explores expanding defence-industrial cooperation with Washington into sensitive programmes, an approach that could reshape NORAD modernisation, strengthen North American supply chains and create new opportunities for defence contractors.
-
![How AI is reshaping defence procurement through sustainment]()
How AI is reshaping defence procurement through sustainment
Artificial intelligence is not just changing how defence equipment is maintained but how defence programmes are won, creating new opportunities for industry by influencing acquisition decisions and shaping competition.
-
![NATO signs agreements worth billions of dollars on missiles, air defence and aircraft]()
NATO signs agreements worth billions of dollars on missiles, air defence and aircraft
Announcements on aircraft deals and agreements for trans-alliance cooperation to boost the production and purchase of weapons and equipment were key takeaways from this week’s NATO summit.
