Boeing to provide information security and cryptography for arsenal of Minuteman III nuclear missiles
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah – U.S. Air Force strategic weapons experts needed encryption and information security for the nation's fleet of Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). They found their solution from the Boeing. Co. Defense, Space & Security segment in Layton, Utah.
Officials of the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center's ICBM contracting division at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, announced a $22.6 million order to Boeing on Thursday for ICBM Cryptography Upgrade Increment II (ICU II) production.
This modification exercises production lot 2, option 1 and provides the government 54 A-4 drawers, Air Force officials say. This effort supports Minuteman III nuclear missile continuous signal lockout, remote code change, and irreversible transform capabilities in the A4 drawer programmer group of the launch facility.
These key upgrades will add mission-essential improvements to Minuteman III nuclear surety and promote overall robustness while decreasing significant vulnerabilities during code change operations, Air Force officials say.
The ICBM Cryptography Upgrade Increment II project could be worth as much as $104.2 million to Boeing if the Air Force exercises all contract options.
On this order Boeing will do the work in Huntsville, Ala.; Huntington Beach, Calif.; and Layton, Utah, and should be finished by January 2022. For more information contact Boeing Defense, Space & Security online at www.boeing.com/company/about-bds, or the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at www.kirtland.af.mil/Units/Air-Force-Nuclear-Weapons-Center.
John Keller | Editor-in-Chief
John Keller is the Editor-in-Chief, Military & Aerospace Electronics Magazine--provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronics and optoelectronic technologies in military, space and commercial aviation applications. John has been a member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since 1989 and chief editor since 1995.
