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.
Expanded production of the B-21 bomber can be accomplished at Northrop Grumman's existing Palmdale, Calif., facilities, the Air Force said. It also said test aircraft will be so simular to the production version that early examples could be used in combat if called for.