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The US Air Force has announced a significant delay in the first test flight of the Sentinel nuclear missile, now scheduled for February 2026. This postponement marks a two-year setback for the next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), plagued with many challenges and escalating costs.
Initially slated for an initial test this year, the Sentinel program’s delay is attributed to increased lead times required for guidance computer components, according to Air Force documents tied to the fiscal 2025 budget request. Despite the setback, an Air Force spokesperson reassured that the delay “is not on the critical path” to the missile’s development.
Northrop Grumman, the defense contractor leading the Sentinel project under a $13 billion contract, has successfully completed some preliminary component tests. However, the project recently encountered a significant financial hurdle, overshooting its initial budget estimate by 37%. This overrun triggered a mandatory review by the Secretary of Defense. The program’s cost is now projected at approximately $131 billion, with expectations of operational deployment also pushed back by at least two years.
Amidst growing financial concerns, the Air Force remains committed to the Sentinel program, considering it “crucial” for national security. With an allocation of over $3 billion in the 2025 budget, plans are in place for a critical design review by March 2026 and further testing phases through 2029. As costs continue to escalate, calls for more detailed scrutiny over the program’s budgeting and cost estimation practices have emerged from Congress.
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The Sentinel is set to replace the aging Minuteman III missiles, a move essential for the modernization of the US’s nuclear capabilities, which encompasses the overhaul of the entire nuclear triad at an estimated cost exceeding one trillion dollars.
