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USAF and Northrop Accelerate Modular Prototype for LGM-35A Sentinel Launch Silo with Utah Test

Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Air Force have accelerated prototyping and broke ground on a modular launch-silo prototype for the LGM-35A Sentinel at Promontory, Utah, conducting a test of concept to validate a scalable, cost-reducing design as the program targets initial capability in the early 2030s.

Discovered 2026-03-27T06:35:07.594609-07:00 | 2026-03-27T06:35:07.594609-07:00

Briefing

What Hype is tracking

  • The Promontory prototype and recent test show the program is moving from design into tangible, repeatable construction trials — an important signal that the Sentinel effort is prioritizing a modular, lower-cost build approach (prototype activity in Utah) (source:9c580b7b-2f13-408e-89eb-4f297fa2fe28).
  • This work is happening amid an ongoing Sentinel restructure after breaching a statutory cost-growth threshold (~$141 billion) and a schedule slip; cost, schedule and Milestone B decisions remain central to program risk (source:99bf5fc3-5d96-4118-9185-64a84689d878).
  • Near-term prototype milestones and silo hardware tests will directly affect the program baseline and Milestone B outcomes, determining whether the modular approach can deliver the promised efficiency and schedule gains (source:806ebad9-e409-4e04-adff-6456cd619e08).

Reported By

asdnews.com defencebuyer.com Stars and Stripes militarnyi.com Air & Space Forces Mag airforce-technology.com
Sources Tracked
15
First Seen
2026-03-27T06:35:07.594609-07:00
Latest Update
2026-04-02T08:51:36.200886-07:00
Coverage
Defense

Sources

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