The Department of Defense announced on Friday an agreement worth about for $51,2 million for procurement of multiprobe antenna for Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile.
The contract modification award from Air Force Nuclear Weapon Center to Textron Defense Systems provides the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile weapon system multiprobe antenna procurement.
Work will be performed at Wilmington, Massachusetts, and is expected to be completed by July 13, 2029, according to a statement released by the Department of Defense.
The U.S. Air Force’s website said the Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile, or ICBM, is an element of the nation’s strategic deterrent forces under the control of the Air Force Global Strike Command.
The Minuteman is a strategic weapon system using a ballistic missile of intercontinental range. Missiles are dispersed in hardened silos to protect against attack and connected to an underground launch control center through a system of hardened cables. Launch crews, consisting of two officers, perform around-the-clock alert in the launch control center.
A variety of communication systems provide the president and secretary of defense with highly reliable, virtually instantaneous direct contact with each launch crew. Should command capability be lost between the launch control center and remote missile launch facilities, specially configured E-6B airborne launch control center aircraft automatically assume command and control of the isolated missile or missiles. Fully qualified airborne missile combat crews aboard airborne launch control center aircraft would execute the president’s orders.
The current ICBM force consists of 400 Minuteman III missiles located at the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo.; the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom AFB, Mont.; and the 91st Missile Wing at Minot AFB, N.D.