U.S. Air Force and Northrop Grumman Assemble Inert Missile, Progress Toward Sentinel Flight Testing

VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE, Calif. – Sept. 14, 2026 – Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOC) and the U.S. Air Force have successfully completed the full assembly of the Sentinel missile, a significant milestone in the development of America’s next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). This vertical assembly verifies the design and integration of the Sentinel and marks a critical step forward in its suitability evaluation for anticipated flight tests in 2027.

Sentinel is a vital component of the United States’ strategic deterrence efforts.

• With the support of the U.S. Air Force, Northrop Grumman engineers accomplished the safe stacking of the Sentinel missile, ensuring that all missile stages, propulsion elements, shroud, and associated components are seamlessly integrated into a single missile configuration.
• This important stacking operation demonstrates that all processes and requirements for the safe assembly of the complete Sentinel missile are executable on the test pad, confirming readiness to progress to live flight tests.
• Every aspect, from specialized transport and mobile crane operations to thorough interface verification, successfully illustrated the team’s capability to perform this complex vertical integration.
• Simultaneously, the U.S. Air Force’s 719th Test Squadron and Northrop Grumman completed the initial flight test Critical Design Review, confirming that the missile’s design and hardware testing meet necessary requirements for performance, safety, and the timeline for the 2027 flight test.
• This rigorous four-month test event saw Northrop Grumman transport missile components from across the country to Vandenberg Space Force Base, where the inert missile underwent safe stacking and de-stacking procedures on the test pad.
• Together, these accomplishments propel the Sentinel program from design into the realm of a fully integrated system, bringing it closer to operational readiness.

Expert Opinion:

Amanda Davis, vice president and general manager for strategic deterrent systems at Northrop Grumman, commented, “This vertical assembly illustrates our momentum towards launching Sentinel in 2027, with expected missiles on alert by the early 2030s, ensuring the United States maintains robust and dependable ground-based nuclear capabilities for decades.”

Northrop Grumman and U.S. Air Force successfully assembled the first fully integrated Sentinel missile on a test launch pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base during the program’s Pathfinder demonstration. (Photo Credit: Northrop Grumman)

Program Details:

Named Pathfinder, this dry-run event involved transporting missile components on specially designed vehicles from various locations in the U.S. to Vandenberg Space Force Base. At the base, Northrop Grumman engineers conducted rigorous testing of mechanical operations including transportation, mobile crane use, and safe vertical integration while ensuring all interface connections were validated on the test pad. Each step of this precise operation was meticulously coordinated to meet the stringent requirements set by the Air Force.

The Sentinel program serves to modernize the ground-based leg of the nation’s strategic nuclear triad. Northrop Grumman leads an extensive team of over 500 partners under an engineering and manufacturing development contract to introduce a new, advanced, and highly capable ICBM system that will remain viable through 2075. Northrop Grumman is making substantial advances across the Sentinel program, progressing towards flight tests in 2027 and initial operational capability in the early 2030s. Supported by a national workforce of over 10,000 professionals, Sentinel is rapidly evolving through a transformed acquisition strategy.

As a leader in global aerospace and defense technology, Northrop Grumman provides innovative solutions that empower its clients to connect and protect the world while pushing the boundaries of human exploration. Guided by a mission to tackle the most challenging problems faced by its customers, the Northrop Grumman team is re-defining what is possible every day.

Source: Northrop Grumman (2026-09-14T12:34:00Z)