Ground Based Strategic Deterrent

Ground Based Strategic Deterrent under the Air Force's Research, Development, Test & Evaluation budget activity, aims to design, develop, produce, and deploy a replacement for the current Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) weapon system. The program's specific objectives include delivering a fully integrated weapon system by Fiscal Year 2029 to maintain a safe, secure, reliable, and effective nuclear deterrent. This involves mitigating ground-based deterrent degradation due to MM III component age-out and attrition and closing key capability gaps and vulnerabilities identified in various assessments. The program also focuses on risk reduction during the transition from MM III to Sentinel (GBSD) and includes prime contractor development of applicable support equipment, data, flight test hardware and infrastructure, and training systems.

Additionally, the program aims to execute government system engineering, analytics, and test capability development; air vehicle equipment development; command & launch systems development; infrastructure and deployment development; support systems development; and weapon system integration during the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase. The acquisition strategy is focused on delivering a fully integrated weapon system capability that meets Air Force Global Strike Command's Capability Development Document requirements beginning in Fiscal Year 2029. The EMD phase includes an EMD Baseline Review, Critical Design Review, First Flight Test, Full Functional System Test, System Qualification/System Verification Review, Nuclear Certification, Developmental Test, Operational Test, and culminates with early production and weapon system deployment.

The program also includes necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. This effort is in Budget Activity 4 because it is necessary to evaluate integrated technologies, representative modes or prototype systems in a high fidelity and realistic operating environment. Overall, the program aims to ensure the long-term viability of the ground-based leg of the nuclear triad through 2075.