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Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce www.greatfallschamber.org
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In 2021, a year before the USAF celebrated its 75th
anniversary, the decision was made to implement an entirely
new Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) system,
involving the removal of Minuteman III from service, and
bringing the LGM-35A "Sentinel" online. It was both a massive
and economical move, as extending the service life of the
Minuteman III was cost prohibitive, and new technologies were
available to create a more capable system.
"Our Nation's nuclear deterrent force, two legs of which are
operated by Airmen, has quietly provided a strategic security
shield for decades. All that time, the Department of the Air
Force has kept the watch; always vigilant and ready," said an
Air Force official. "The name Sentinel recognizes the mindset
that thousands of Airmen, past and present, have brought to
the deterrence mission, and will serve as a reminder for those
who operate, secure, and maintain this system in the future
about the discipline and responsibility their duty entails."
Sentinel is not only a new missile, but a fully integrated
ecosystem of launch, flight, and infrastructure with ultra-
modern command and control features. Replacing the
1970s-era missile modernizes the ground-based leg of the
nuclear triad and extends its capabilities through 2075. Sentinel
has a primary focus of being modular and flexible, thus
simplifying the maintenance and upgrade requirements.
Existing 20th Air Force installations will field the system,
with F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming; Malmstrom AFB, Montana;
and Minot AFB, North Dakota preparing to bring Sentinel
online. Using the current infrastructure, both Minuteman III and
Sentinel will meet all nuclear surety and safety standards during
the transition period, and continue to keep the United States
on the cutting edge of technology used to defend our national
security in today's complex threat environment.
