nuclear modernization

New START expires: Will a new US-Russia nuclear arms race follow?

President Donald Trump "will decide the path forward on nuclear arms control, which he will clarify on his own timeline," a White House official told Breaking Defense.

DoD ‘exploring’ options for nuclear buildup as part of strategic review

Vipin Narang, DoD's top nuclear policy official, explained that while current modernization plans — estimated by the Government Accountability Office last October to cost at least $350 billion over the next two decades — are "necessary," they "may well be insufficient" to meet current and future threats. 

NC3 space systems face critical modernization challenges, new study finds

The study notes that NC3 is one of the least understood of the many parts that make up the US nuclear weapons architecture, in part because of the high levels of secrecy that surround it. Thus, it is difficult for policymakers and service leaders to focus needed attention on it.

‘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.

Sentinel ICBM’s first flight test slips to 2026: Air Force

An official with prime contractor Northrop Grumman defended the beleaguered program, and said, "looking for that blame, I think, is hard because it really was just an immense challenge."

Air Force halves MH-139A Grey Wolf helo buy in FY25 budget request

“It's just about the overall budget of the Air Force and what we're able to afford and what we're not able to afford,” explained Air Force acquisition chief Andrew Hunter of the decision to cut the birds.

Northrop Grumman logs billion-dollar charge on B-21 stealth bomber

Chief Executive Officer Kathy Warden said that despite cost growth for the company’s Sentinel ICBM program, the company’s “near-term assumptions” of its sales and profitability are not “materially impacted.”

‘We will have to find the money’: After cost breach, Air Force doubles down on Sentinel ICBM

Air Force Lt. Gen. Rick Moore also spoke favorably of investing in "surge" capacity for things like munitions production, though he said the idea may not be popular outside the Air Force.

Sentinel ICBM incurs ‘critical’ cost breach, at risk of cancellation without SECDEF certification

The Minuteman III replacement’s costs ballooned by 37 percent and will take about two years longer than expected as officials reportedly discover hidden complications of silo construction.

Sentinel ICBM program ‘struggling’ with ‘unknown unknowns’: Kendall

Kendall also expressed concern about the effects of a likely continuing resolution on key programs, including the Advanced Battle Management System and the Joint Advanced Tactical Missile.

Air Force awards Lockheed $1 billion for new ICBM reentry vehicle

The new Mk21A reentry vehicle will be mounted atop the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile and will carry an updated nuclear warhead known as the W87-1.

Inconsistent acquisition authorities for nuclear weapons are harming modernization

CSIS’s Sarah Mineiro argues that bureaucracy is endangering the well-being of the most powerful weapons on the planet.

Amid geopolitical instability, NNSA looks to industry for new arms control verification tech

For US nuclear stocks, Jill Hruby of the Department of Energy said, "this is the most demanding moment in the history of our nation's nuclear enterprise since the Manhattan Project."

Lamborn signals continuity in House space focus, toes harder nuclear line

Pentagon acquisition of space systems needs to be "faster and leaner," stressed Rep. Doug Lamborn, R-Colo., who is expected to chair the House strategic forces subcommittee next year.