AIR WARFARE, CONGRESS
‘No alternatives’: Pentagon doubles down as new Sentinel ICBM’s cost jumps to $141 billion
The Air Force revealed today that it has embarked on a restructuring of the troubled but critical long-range missile program, which is now expected to cost 81 percent more than initially estimated.
By MICHAEL MARROW
on July 08, 2024 at 4:00 PM
WASHINGTON — A congressionally mandated review of the Air Force’s Minuteman III nuclear ICBM replacement found that its pricetag has exploded by 81 percent, resulting in an updated estimate of roughly $141 billion, the Pentagon announced today.
Despite that cost growth, the Pentagon’s top weapons buyer, Bill LaPlante, has certified the LGM-35A Sentinel program to continue, in part because “no alternatives” were equally viable and less costly. But in the meantime, LaPlante has rescinded the program’s Milestone B decision and tasked the Air Force to restructure the troubled acquisition, which he said will likely see a delay of “several years” under a new timetable.
“It is important to note that this certification does not indicate business as usual,” LaPlante said today in a briefing with reporters ahead of the Pentagon’s announcement. “The program will be restructured to address the root causes of the breach and ensure an appropriate management structure is in place to control costs.”
https://breakingdefense.com/2024/07/no-alternatives-pentagon-doubles-down-as-new-sentinel-icbms-cost-jumps-to-141-billion/
