U.S. Strategic Command marked the groundbreaking of the LGM-35A Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile utility corridor in a ceremony officials called the “Golden Shovel” event in July, launching the first in-field construction for the program that will replace America’s aging nuclear missile force.
The groundbreaking represents the transition from design to physical construction for the Sentinel program, which will replace the Minuteman III ICBM that has served as the land-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad since the 1970s, STRATCOM said.
The utility corridor project initiates what is expected to become one of the largest defense construction programs in American history, spanning multiple military bases across the central United States, according to STRATCOM.
The Minuteman III has been in service for more than 50 years, and defense officials have warned that the aging missiles are becoming increasingly expensive to maintain and difficult to sustain. The Sentinel is designed to provide a modern, reliable nuclear deterrent through the second half of the 21st century.
The Sentinel program has experienced significant cost growth and schedule delays, raising concerns in Congress about maintaining the ICBM modernization timeline. The program’s estimated cost has increased substantially from initial projections, triggering a mandatory congressional review process.
Despite cost concerns, defense officials have maintained that the land-based nuclear deterrent is essential to U.S. strategic posture. The ground-based missile force, along with submarine-launched ballistic missiles and nuclear-capable bombers, forms the nuclear triad that has underpinned American deterrence strategy for decades.
The groundbreaking signals that the program has passed a significant commitment threshold, with construction now underway.