Boeing to Retain ICBM Guidance Contract

By Grant McCormick, The Chicago Times

February 6, 2023

ARLINGTON, VA – Boeing has been chosen by the United States Air Force as the prime contractor for the nation’s intercontinental ballistic missile guidance subsystems support.

Boeing announced the contract is worth up to $1.6 billion over 16 years and will be primarily performed in Ogden, Utah, and Heath, Ohio.  Boeing will be in charge of maintaining “around-the-clock” readiness and accuracy of Minuteman ICBM guidance systems, which has been in continuous operation for more than 40 million hours.

An Air Force Global Strike Command unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during an operational test at 12:53 Pacific Time Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2021, at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. ICBM test launches demonstrate that the U.S. ICBM fleet is relevant, essential and key to leveraging dominance in an era of Strategic Competition. (U.S. Space Force photo by Michael Peterson)

“We built the Minuteman’s guidance system, so no one knows it like Boeing. Our highly-specialized facilities and top-flight engineers enable us to sustain it with unmatched quality and precision.  We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Air Force on this all-important mission.”  said Ted Kerzie, program director of Strategic Deterrence Systems.

Boeing’s ICBM weapon system has served as the backbone of the U.S. nuclear triad since the inception of strategic deterrence.  In addition, Boeing has been the only company that has continuously supported every ICBM subsystem over the lifetime of the system.