Northrop Grumman rejects Boeing offer to partner on new GBSD nuclear missile to replace Minuteman III
CITY, state – Northrop Grumman has rejected a Boeing overture to form a joint team on the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) nuclear missile, intended to replace the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, Boeing officials said Friday. Air Force magazine reports. Continue reading original article
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
16 Sept. 2019 -- The move leaves Northrop Grumman as the sole anticipated bidder on the contract, expected to be worth at least $85 billion.
In July, Boeing officials informed the Air Force they would not bid on the GBSD because they believed Northrop holds an unfair advantage as the owner of solid rocket motor provider Orbital AKT, which is now Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems.
Both companies have been working on technology-maturation and risk-reduction contracts for GBSD nuclear missile for about two years. Senior Air Force leaders have consistently praised their efforts, pleased with the range of options being offered and the digital models that allow comparisons of many variations, calling GBSD one of the best-run programs in the service.
Related: A Boeing-Northrop team may be the only way to fix the Air Force's flawed ICBM competition
Related: The evolving world of radiation-hardened electronics
Related: Nuclear ballistic missile command and control technology still a prime military concern
John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics
