Northrop Grumman Assembles Inert Sentinel Missile

On 14 September 2026, Northrop Grumman announced that it completed the vertical assembly of the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile in operational orientation alongside the U.S. Air Force. The milestone keeps the weapon system on track for its first flight test in 2027 and initial operational capability by the early 2030s.

The dry-run exercise, known as the Pathfinder demonstration, was part of a four-month test event at Vandenberg Space Force Base. Northrop Grumman transported components nationwide, completed stacking and de-stacking on a test launch pad, and confirmed that propulsion elements, missile stages, the shroud, and mechanical interfaces met military requirements.

In parallel, Northrop Grumman and the 719th Test Squadron completed the first flight test Critical Design Review. The review confirmed that missile hardware and design maturity satisfy performance, safety, and scheduling standards set by the U.S. Air Force.

Northrop Grumman leads a nationwide team of more than 500 partners and over 10,000 professionals under an engineering and manufacturing development contract. The Sentinel program modernizes the land-based leg of the strategic nuclear triad, designing an ICBM system intended to remain viable through 2075.