Pentagon Awards $199 Million Contract to Johns Hopkins for Sentinel ICBM Program Support
The U.S. Air Force has awarded Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory a $199 million contract to provide research and development engineering support for the Sentinel LGM-35A intercontinental ballistic missile program, which aims to replace the aging Minuteman III fleet. The sole-source contract, managed by the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center at Hill Air Force Base, runs through July 2029. Sentinel has faced intense scrutiny after its projected cost ballooned from $77.7 billion to over $140 billion, triggering a Nunn-McCurdy breach. Most cost growth stems from underestimated ground infrastructure needs, including modernizing 450 missile silos across five states with over 7,500 miles of new cabling. The first flight test has slipped from 2026 to March 2028. Johns Hopkins, as a University Affiliated Research Center, will provide independent technical analysis to help mitigate risks and prevent further cost overruns. The initial award obligates $31.3 million in fiscal 2026 funds under a cost-plus-fixed-fee structure.
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