The Air Force Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile program completed vertical stacking of the inert missile, confirming that all subsystems are on track for initial flight testing in 2027.
The LGM-35 Sentinel program finalized a four-month testing campaign by vertically stacked the inert missile at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, according to a recent release.
The campaign verified the viability of all missile stages, propulsion elements, shroud and subcomponents to be assembled into a single configuration test pad. The operation also showcased that all handling processes and personnel are capable of executing field assembly through verifying segments of the weapon system’s operational lifecycle, per the statement.
“From cross-country transport and specialized crane lifts to precision interface checks on the pad, bringing all of these elements together validated our technical baselines and proved Sentinel is ready to support the next phase of development,” Maj. Gen. William S. Rogers, Air Force portfolio acquisition executive for Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, said in the release.
Alongside the on-pad integration, the first flight test design review, done by Air Force Test Center’s 719th Test Squadron, was completed, demonstrating that the missile’s design maturity and hardware testing satisfies requirements for safety and mission assurance ahead of 2027 flight testing.
Sentinel is on track to field initial capability in the early 2030s as a ground-based deterrent for decades, per the announcement.
“Sentinel is no longer conceptual or designs for what the nation’s next-generation ICBM looks like; it’s a physical, fully integrated system that is one major step closer to being ready for flight testing,” Gen. Dale White, Critical Major Weapon Systems director, said in the release.
“While this is a significant achievement, we will keep driving, firmly focused on delivering a modernized, credible strategic deterrent that will safeguard the nation and its allies well into the future,” he continued.
During a media roundtable last week at the Air & Space Forces Association’s 2026 Air, Space & Cyber Conference, White told reporters that the program is still on track for Milestone B, which allows the project to enter the engineering and manufacturing development phase.
“From a civil perspective, yes, we’re still on track for Milestone B,” he said during the roundtable. “In fact, that is going very well. That was one of the areas I had concern early on about how you navigate those waters and make sure you get that recertification right.”
White said that they are parsing through a large amount of data, and they have integrated the Air Force Cost Analysis Agency and the Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation. But they are still unsure of the cost.
“I don’t think we’re anywhere near a number right now,” he said. “I’m very comfortable with what I have seen though, and I think that we’re certainly within the realm of what we have talked about all along.”
The Air Force announced earlier this year that the service is expected to achieve the Milestone B decision by the end of 2026.
Cristina Stassis is a reporter covering stories surrounding the defense industry, national security, military/veteran affairs and more. She previously worked as an editorial fellow for Defense News in 2024 where she assisted the newsroom in breaking news across Sightline Media Group.
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