Strategic Deterrence Systems

Strategic Deterrence Systems

Ensuring Peace through Strength

Boeing is a foundational partner in our Nation’s mission of strategic deterrence

Today – as they have for decades – America’s nuclear weapons serve to protect the Nation from nuclear attack, prevent large-scale war, and assure our allies and partners around the globe.

For more than 60 years, Boeing-built and supported systems have sustained the safety, security and effectiveness the nuclear triad – defending the homeland and ensuring peace through strength.

Boeing is committed to delivering ready deterrence capabilities today while innovating modernized future capabilities to meet the emerging threats and challenges of tomorrow.

Ready Around the Clock

Land-Based Strategic Deterrence

The Boeing-built Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) weapon system has served as the Nation’s trusted and enduring ground-based leg of the nuclear triad since the inception of strategic deterrence.

Boeing is the U.S. Air Force’s original partner in strategic deterrence. Today, hundreds of Boeing employees across the country continue to maintain the readiness of the Minuteman ICBM – keeping it safe, secure and effective around the clock.

Boeing supports the Air Force and its efforts to modernize the nation’s ICBM force – and will continue working alongside Airmen to keep the Minuteman ICBM mission-ready while delivering innovative solutions in support of strategic deterrence today and tomorrow.

Boeing remains ready and willing to assist in the modernization of our land-based strategic deterrent.

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Minuteman Technical Specifications

Payload Up to three independently re-targetable reentry vehicles Weight 79,432 lbs (36,030 kg)
Diameter 5.5 feet (1.67 meters) Range 6,000-plus miles (5,218 nautical miles)
Speed Approximately 15,000 mph (Mach 23 or 24,000 kph) at burnout Ceiling 700 miles (1,120 kilometers)
Inventory 400 missiles deployed among 450 silos  

Timeline

Boeing Guidance Repair Center

The Boeing Guidance Repair Center in Heath, Ohio, is responsible for maintaining the readiness and modernization of guidance and navigation systems for our Nation’s nuclear-capable platforms, as well as non-nuclear capable guidance and control systems, electronics and radio frequency systems, and platform processors.

In addition, the center is also home to assembly, integration and test activities for several Boeing production programs, including the KC-46 Tanker, T-7A Red Hawk and the MQ-25 unmanned aircraft system.

Boeing supports the Air Force and its efforts to modernize the nation’s ICBM force – and will continue working alongside Airmen to keep the Minuteman ICBM mission-ready while delivering innovative solutions in support of strategic deterrence today and tomorrow.

Boeing remains ready and willing to assist in the modernization of our land-based strategic deterrent.

 

Little Mountain Test Facility

Boeing operates and maintains the Little Mountain Test Facility for the Air Force at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and has supported operations at the site – including radiation effects, electromagnetic effects, shock and vibration, and other environmental testing – for more than 45 years.

The state-of-the-art facility is dedicated to testing operations in support of nuclear hardness and survivability for the Boeing-built Minuteman weapon system and other priority Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Energy (DoE) programs, military systems and aerospace products.

Ready and Flexible from the Skies

Boeing has delivered strategic deterrence capabilities for the air-based leg of the Nation’s nuclear triad for more than 40 years.

From sustaining and modernizing the Boeing-built air-launched cruise missile (ALCM) to sustaining the venerable B-52 Bomber and KC-10 Tanker, Boeing expertise fuels ready and flexible nuclear capabilities from the skies.

Boeing innovation will continue to drive the readiness and modernization of the ALCM weapon system, America’s bomber fleet and KC-46 Tanker to ensure long-range air-based strategic deterrence for the future.

Ready and Survivable from the High Seas

As the sole supplier of navigation systems for the U.S. Navy's ballistic missile submarine fleet, Boeing provides critical information and support to the sea-based leg of the Nation’s nuclear triad.

Boeing’s innovative navigation systems have been on patrol alongside Sailors since the first ballistic missile submarine test patrol by the USS George Washington in 1960.

Today, Boeing’s Trident submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) navigation system is aboard all of the Navy’s ballistic missile submarines – supporting ready and survivable nuclear capabilities from the high seas.

Boeing will continue to lead the way in the modernization of navigation systems in support of a safe, secure and effective sea-based strategic deterrent capable of meeting the emerging threats and future challenges of tomorrow.

    Customer

    The U.S. Strategic Command – a unified combatant command comprised of approximately 150,000 dedicated Airmen, Sailors, Soldiers, Marines and civilians – is responsible for executing the Department of Defense’s highest priority mission of strategic deterrence.

    The ground and air-based legs of the nuclear triad are operated by elements of the Air Force, while the sea-based leg is overseen by the Navy.

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