Russian News  
Northrop Grumman Receives Contract For ICBM Propulsion Replacement Program

Minuteman stage 1 motors are manufactured by ATK at its facility in Promontory, Utah, and stage 2 and 3 motors are manufactured at the ATK Bacchus facility in Magna, Utah, with components provided by the ATK Promontory and Clearfield Utah facilities.
by Staff Writers
Clearfield UT (SPX) Dec 03, 2007
The U.S. Air Force awarded Northrop Grumman a 23-month, $176 million contract in October to continue the full-rate production phase of the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Propulsion Replacement Program (PRP). The program will replace aging solid-rocket motor sets for stages 1, 2, and 3 in the Minuteman III missile arsenal with re-manufactured motors to maintain alert-readiness status through 2030.

This award represents the seventh and final full-rate production option under the ten-year, cost plus award fee/incentive fee PRP contract. The PRP contract began in 1999 and is valued at $1.9 billion. Under this option, Northrop Grumman will deliver 56 motor sets, for a total of 601. A motor set is comprised of a stage 1, stage 2, stage 3 and interstage ordnance components.

"The propulsion replacement program has been an enormously successful effort," said John Clay, vice president and general manager for the Northrop Grumman ICBM Prime Integration Contract. "We have accomplished what we set out to do - provide our nation with a modernized, reliable, strong, deterrent weapon system that will be in place through 2030. I applaud our PRP Team for continuing execution of such an extremely complicated effort on-time and within budget."

Teammate Alliant Techsystems (ATK) is producing all three stages at full rate and expects to deliver all production motors by August 2009. The remanufacturing of the motors includes replacing the aging propellant in the motors and replacing obsolete or environmentally unsafe materials and components. Minuteman stage 1 motors are manufactured by ATK at its facility in Promontory, Utah, and stage 2 and 3 motors are manufactured at the ATK Bacchus facility in Magna, Utah, with components provided by the ATK Promontory and Clearfield Utah facilities.

PRP is one of eight large modification programs currently managed by Northrop Grumman's Mission Systems sector, prime integration contractor for the program. In this role, Northrop Grumman supports its customer in modernizing and maintaining the reliability, safety and security of the nation's land-based Minuteman III weapon system. Northrop Grumman, its teammates and subcontractors provide system engineering, program management, integration, process discipline, domain expertise, subsystem expertise and full-spectrum ICBM industrial capabilities. Northrop Grumman manages a team consisting of three principal teammates and more than 20 subcontractors.

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com

Russia could couter US with missiles in Belarus: general
Moscow (AFP) Nov 14, 2007
Russia could counter a planned US anti-missile defence system in central Europe by deploying missiles in neighbouring ally Belarus, a senior Russian general said Wednesday.







  • OSCE presidency urges Russia to reconsider arms treaty move
  • Euro Thaw Not What It Seems
  • US, China, feud over Taiwan, Tibet, port dispute
  • China says ties with US damaged, amid naval row

  • Iran defiant after nuclear talks 'disaster'
  • Outside View: Iran war dangers
  • Iranian Missile Bluster
  • Northrop Grumman Receives Contract For ICBM Propulsion Replacement Program

  • Process On For Establishing Aerospace Command
  • Cisco plans to turn India into global hub, triple workforce

  • China's vast sovereign wealth fund to be 'stabilising force': report
  • Dalai Lama rankles China with succession warning
  • China wins right to explore Afghan copper mine: ministry
  • China's Wen again vows food, product safety

  • Moscow Finds Relief As Gas Prices Rise Only 30 Percent
  • Africa urged to avoid morning-after oil hangover
  • Tokyo wants gas exploration deal with China: official
  • Iraq Looks Inward To Rebuild Oil Industry

  • The European Columbus Space Laboratory Set To Reach ISS
  • Jules Verne ATV Given Its Wings
  • Spacewalkers Complete More Harmony Hookup Work
  • Columbus Poised For Research Breakthroughs

  • Boeing Demonstrates Maturity Of TSAT Encryption System
  • Northrop Grumman Qualifies Extended Data Rate Software For AEHF Military Communications Satellite
  • Lockheed Martin Delivers Key Satellite Hardware For New Military Communications System
  • Boeing Demonstrates FAB-T Multi-terminal Link Capability To USAF

  • Sealift Of Mine-Resistant, Ambush-Protected Vehicles Begins
  • Secretary Sees First Afterburning Engine Test With Synthetic Fuel
  • F135 Team Delivers F135 STOVL Propulsion System To LockMart
  • BAE Systems Completes In-Country Commissioning Of Airborne Reconnaissance System

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement