The Pentagon continues the development of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile

According to the morning report of Ryanovsi news agency, the US Department of Defense announced in this statement that although the cost of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile development program is 81% higher than the initial estimate, this program will continue to develop.

The statement adds: Based on the results of a review of the plan, US Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Logistics William LaPlante certified that the Sentinel program meets the legal criteria needed to proceed.

On the other hand, the US Deputy Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Logistics said in a statement that while we understand the huge cost of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile development program, we are also aware of the dangers of not modernizing nuclear weapons. .

He further added: Sentinel is a truly historic program for the modernization of the three-pronged land sector of the US Army.

According to Ryan News Agency, according to American laws, if the cost of a weapons development program exceeds the initial estimate by 25%, the continuation of that program will face restrictions, but for projects such as the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile development program, which is considered a security issue Nationals of the United States have a special status and meet many other required criteria, exceptions are made in the relevant laws.

Informed sources announced that the cost of the US Air Force program to replace the country’s old nuclear missiles has risen sharply and reached about 160 billion dollars. This project, which is called the “Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile” program, was carried out by the Northrop Company. Grumman” is planned and managed and its purpose is to replace the old “Minuteman 3” missiles.

A missile industry executive and a US congressional aide, who were not named, told Reuters that the initial cost of running the program in 2020 was estimated at $95.8 billion, but now about another $65 billion. It has been added to it and it has reached 160 billion dollars. The last estimate provided by the US Department of Defense (Pentagon) was in January. This ministry announced at the beginning of 2024 that the cost of this project will reach at least 131 billion dollars.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is scheduled to present a report about this to the Congress in the coming days. U.S. Air Force officials argue that the Sentinel project is of vital importance in maintaining the U.S. nuclear deterrent.