Northrop Grumman says its industry team last month delivered to the Air Force the final Minuteman III first-stage solid rocket motor that was remanufactured under the propulsion replacement program. In a release Monday, the company said teammate Alliant Techsystems (ATK) handed over the motor on July 23 at its facilities in Promontory, Utah. This was the 624th first-stage rocket motor delivered under the 10-year PRP contract, according to Northrop, prime contractor for the Air Force’s Minuteman modernization activities. ATK continues to churn out Minuteman second- and third-stage motors under the PRP and is expected to complete delivery of all of those later this month, Northrop said. The PRP is one of the upgrades designed to keep the Minuteman III force viable out to 2020. On top of that, the Air Force is exploring at the behest of Congress what would be necessary to keep the Minuteman fleet operational out to 2030.
Planning an Air Show Is Hard. At Andrews, It’s Even Harder
Sept. 17, 2025
Joint Base Andrews opened its flightline this month to thousands of civilians, exposing a normally restricted airbase that regularly hosts the president and foreign dignitaries to a curious public eager to see current and historic military aircraft up close and in action.
