DID actually began covering the SERV program over a year ago. It’s all part of a $135 million dollar, six-year contract that will transition the USA’s Minuteman III nuclear missile fleet from 3-warhead MIRVs to single Mk 21 reentry vehicles, recently decommissioned from the MX Peacekeeper missile force.
The entire force of 500 Minuteman III missiles is slated for SERV upgrades by 2011; this is just one of eight large modification programs Northrop Grumman currently manages in support of U.S. Air Force efforts to sustain the country’s ICBM arsenal. Lockheed Martin and Boeing are Northrop-Grumman’s principal teammates on this particular program.
Quantities required are:
* FY06: 10
* FY07: 120
* FY08: 120
* FY09: 111
and EPA approved
Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems, Clearfield, Utah, is being awarded a $34.8 million cost-plus incentive-fee contract modification to begin to provide for full rate production of Minuteman III Safety Enhanced Reentry Vehicles (SERV) on America’s ICBMs. Because, you know, we really wouldn’t want these things to be unsafe.
At this time, total funds have been obligated, and the scheduled completion date is March 2010. Headquarters Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill Air Force Base, UT issued the contract (F42610-98-C-0001/will advise on modification number).
This award follows the third successful flight test of a SERV-modified Minuteman III conducted by the U.S. Air Force on Feb. 16, 2006. It extended the results of the July & August 2005 tests, and demonstrated the successful integration of every major Minuteman III modernization and life-extension effort managed by Northrop Grumman, such as the guidance and propulsion and command center upgrades. This success cleared the way for a full-rate production decision.
See also: Minuteman ICBM – Re-entry Vehicle/ Warhead Data Tables & Photos