Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has achieved a major milestone in the development of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) by successfully completing critical tests on key components of the missile. This marks a pivotal advancement in the engineering, manufacturing, and development phase of the Sentinel program.
At the company’s Strategic Missile Test and Production Complex located in Promontory, Utah, the forward and aft sections of a Sentinel ICBM underwent a series of comprehensive tests. These evaluations are crucial as they provide vital data on the missile’s structural dynamics during flight. The insights gained from these tests are instrumental in refining engineering models, mitigating risks, and ensuring the overall success of future flights.
Included in these tests were the shroud fly-off and missile modal evaluations, integral parts of Northrop Grumman’s engineering, manufacturing, and development contract for the Sentinel project. In collaboration with the Air Force, Northrop Grumman is making steady progress through the EMD phase, hitting essential benchmarks along the way.
The vice president and program manager of Sentinel, Sarah Willoughby: “Working with the Air Force and our team of suppliers, we put key elements of the missile’s hardware to the test to mature our design and lower risk. The shroud fly-off test proved our modeling predictions are solid, while the missile stack test demonstrated inflight missile performance, helping validate assumptions and fine-tune models. These successes give us confidence as we continue progressing on the path to deliver a safe, secure and reliable capability to the nation.”
The Sentinel program represents a significant modernization effort for the United States’ ground-based strategic deterrent, with plans for it to remain operational through 2075. Northrop Grumman spearheads a national team dedicated to the EMD contract of the Sentinel, tasked with crafting the most sophisticated segment of America’s ground-based strategic deterrent. This team works in close coordination with the Air Force to refine the missile’s design and minimize risks as it moves through critical EMD milestones.
Prior achievements in the EMD phase include the static fire tests of the first and second stage solid rocket motors and hypersonic wind tunnel testing, further demonstrating Northrop Grumman’s commitment to advancing the Sentinel program towards operational readiness and contributing to national security.
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