The United States is replacing the 60‑year‑old Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile with the new Sentinel missile, part of a multibillion‑dollar modernization of the land‑based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad.
At FE Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, where hundreds of missiles are deployed underground, Ian Lee reports the military keeps approximately 400 Minuteman III weapons “ready to go” — a posture officials describe as active deterrence. The new Sentinel is being developed to replace those aging missiles and their infrastructure.
Senior leaders overseeing the effort say Sentinel will be larger, faster, have longer range, carry more payload, and be more reliable than Minuteman III. They emphasize safety and security improvements and changes to how crews perform complex missile handling tasks. Defense leaders say the missile is intended to send a clear deterrent message to adversaries: “not today,” underscoring that modernization supports national security.
The Sentinel program requires new missile silos and extensive infrastructure work. Reported costs have risen significantly: the project is about 80% over initial estimates, with a current price tag approaching $141 billion and delays beyond original timelines. Critics question the expense for a weapon system designed never to be used; military officials counter that deterrence is an active mission, citing the absence of hostile action as evidence the force is working.
Journalists were given access to decommissioned Minuteman III silos and to parts of an operational missile field. The Minuteman III missile stands roughly 60 feet tall and sits in a deep underground launch tube; modern Sentinel silos are being designed with improvements for safety, security, and maintainability — for example, door systems that allow personnel to walk through rather than climb down ladders.
China, Russia, and North Korea are cited by U.S. officials as drivers of the modernization, as those countries expand and modernize their own nuclear capabilities. U.S. military leaders stress that Sentinel will enhance deterrence and reassure the American public about national defense capabilities.
Even as Sentinel development continues, officials say Minuteman III remains in service during the transition. The military plans to phase Sentinel in over time, with a full rollout anticipated in the years ahead; officials have noted hopes to complete the program by about 2040. They also assure Americans the nation maintains a credible, modern nuclear force so citizens can sleep well at night regarding national security. Ian Lee, CBS News, Cheyenne, Wyoming.