US ICBM nuclear program spending exceeds $160bn
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The development of hypersonic weapons, space programs like Star Wars, and the production of the new B-21 Raider stealth bomber, which can carry a nuclear payload, may be impacted by the higher expenses.
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This image on Oct. 2, 2019, provided by the U.S. Air Force shows an unarmed Minuteman 3 intercontinental ballistic missile test launch at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. (AP)
According to a report, the estimated expenses of the US nuclear missile development program have increased past $160 billion.
According to three people familiar with the matter, the Air Force program intended to replace the US's aging nuclear missiles has increased in cost from $95.8 billion to roughly $160 billion, as reported by Reuters.
The major supplier of manned air systems, Northrop Grumman Corp., located in Virginia, is in charge of designing and overseeing the new project, known as the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program.
According to documents reviewed by Reuters, the Pentagon has requested information from US arms manufacturers regarding the costs associated with extending the service life of the Minuteman III missiles already in stock.
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According to two of the sources, the Next Generation Air Dominance fighter jet program and other Air Force priorities are under pressure because of the rising costs.
Development to take place in Maryland
The development of hypersonic weapons, space programs like Star Wars, and the production of the new B-21 Raider stealth bomber, which can carry a nuclear payload, may be impacted by the higher expenses, the sources said.
Last year in July, Johns Hopkins University was awarded by the Pentagon over $165 million to develop support for the Sentinel Program with the aim of modernizing the backbone of the US nuclear triad.
"Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory [of] Laurel, Maryland was awarded a $165,914,899 task order for Sentinel support," the press release at the time read, noting that the task order will ensure that cooperation will remain between the government and JHU/APL.
"This contract provides for the procurement of engineering, systems engineering for complex systems, research, and development of specialized functions," the release said.
It further said that operations will be taking place over the next three years in Laurel, Maryland. The expected date for completion is set for July 23, 2026.
This comes amid a report back in May of this year by Bloomberg that US plans to expand the production of 30,000-pound bombs designed to penetrate deeply buried nuclear facilities believed to exist in the DPRK and Iran.
