Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz thanked airmen in the nuclear deterrence mission for their part in reinvigorating the service’s nuclear enterprise. “Today, we are continuing to strengthen our ongoing efforts. You should be proud that your professionalism and hard work have produced such positive change,” they wrote in a letter to these airmen. Donley and Schwartz said a recent Defense Science Board assessment “praised the steps taken to date,” but also reminded that “much work remains,” particularly in fielding fixes expeditiously. They highlighted some of the improvements taking place now such as ICBM re-entry system test cables making their way to missile maintainers and bomber crew chief manning rising. “Know that your sharp focus on excellence and unwavering adherence to precision and reliability are providing tangible results and making a difference,” they wrote. (Barksdale release)
While the Sentinel ICBM program writ large is undergoing a major restructure due to cost and schedule overages, prime contractor Northrop Grumman is touting progress on milestones with the missile itself.
