LGM-35A Sentinel - Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program

[NMaude]

The nuclear triad is probably unaffordable given the twin problems of the deficit and need to cut costs

Oh, it's easily affordable, the US federal government just needs to repeal the the grossly unwarranted and undeserved tax-cuts the super-rich and the mega-corporations got along with taxing them like they were 45 years ago, in other words pay their fair share.

 

[Kat Tsun]

Oh, it's easily affordable, the US federal government just needs to repeal the the grossly unwarranted and undeserved tax-cuts the super-rich and the mega-corporations got along with taxing them like they were 45 years ago, in other words pay their fair share.

They would just move to the Switzerland, Panama, whatever, and take their wealth with them lol. There is no practical way to fund LGM-35A at present, because DOD is in the middle of a budget cut, and Sentinel still needs new silos. Maybe they can put it on a big truck but getting something like Midgetman would be easier at this point.

 

[Kat Tsun]

The easiest method to destroy any orbital weapons platform would be an interceptor satellite of any stripe sharing the same orbit yes. This is already a combat risk for MEO GNSS, GEO SATCOM, and to a lesser extent LEO swarming platforms. Sheer mass of systems and redundancy is partly why Starlink and Starshield will be likely be highly resilient in wartime.

That's why, like a hypersonic bomber or silo-based missile, they're almost entirely a first strike weapon. Given the amount of orbital shenanigans the USSF and PLA Strategic Support Force have been having for the past half decade they'd both probably just base each warhead individually on a reentry bus, and bet you can punch through a defense grid with sheer mass, like a high frontier bomber stream.

 

[Desertfox]

America, however, are the only ones not refurbishing their silos on a periodic schedule. The last major deep modernization was REACT and AFAIK the MM3s still use 5.25" floppies for targeting upload. The US has the oldest and least functional launch infrastructure in the world, at present, and I suppose they would be tied with France if France had retained the S3s.

The nuclear triad is probably unaffordable given the twin problems of the deficit and need to cut costs, so the MM3s will likely be LEPed until the '50s, and be the first ICBM to see 100 years of continuous service. That or retired without replacement to feed B-21 and Columbia. New silos seems rather distant given Sentinel has already breached Nunn-McCurdy twice now.

A Midgetman 2 TEL, no need to be hard, and based in the missile fields followed by implosion of the silos would be the best case.

USAF never liked the strategic missile or space observation missions anyway. It's why USSF has had to crash budget for replacement of PAVE PAWS old mainframes and is trying to expedite like four new space based sensor platforms. Taking away their ICBMs so they can focus entirely on the strategic bomber mission would make them happy. Space Force can have them.

The floppies (8" ones) are gone as of 2018.

The land-based part of the triad is actually the cheapest one with the lowest operating costs. its just the USAF just hates to operate it and would rather spend nothing. TELs, even plain non-hardened ones have much higher operating costs.

 

[In_A_Dream]

The floppies (8" ones) are gone as of 2018.

The land-based part of the triad is actually the cheapest one with the lowest operating costs. its just the USAF just hates to operate it and would rather spend nothing. TELs, even plain non-hardened ones have much higher operating costs.

What's the fixed cost of a silo vs a TEL?

 

[NMaude]

They would just move to the Switzerland, Panama, whatever, and take their wealth with them lol.

I doubt they'd be allowed to make such a move.

because DOD is in the middle of a budget cut

I assume you're referring to the nonsense coming out of the current administration and that drunken disgrace of a SecDef?

 

[Scott Kenny]

They would just move to the Switzerland, Panama, whatever, and take their wealth with them lol. There is no practical way to fund LGM-35A at present, because DOD is in the middle of a budget cut, and Sentinel still needs new silos. Maybe they can put it on a big truck but getting something like Midgetman would be easier at this point.

There's already US Laws that say any company with money flowing through the US is subject to that law. The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

It wouldn't be hard to say, for example, that any company subject to FCPA is also subject to US corporate taxes. And that any company listed on the NYSE is liable for US corporate income tax on their GROSS.

 

[Scott Kenny]

The real problem is that this should all have taken place 20+ years ago.

Yes, it should have, but there was this little distraction in the sandbox going on at that time...

 

[EmoBirb]

The land-based part of the triad is actually the cheapest one with the lowest operating costs.

Also arguably the most reliable one? The air launched portion is dependent on an aircraft to launch it, while the Tridents are packed into a pressure hull underwater next to a nuclear reactor.

The Minuteman/Sentinel on the other hand is stored in hardened, stationary silos. They are reliable in that sense.

 

[bobbymike]

Yes, it should have, but there was this little distraction in the sandbox going on at that time...

“Distraction” notwithstanding a superpower should be able to walk and modernize its strategic forces at the same time.

The Bush administration did propose a fairly robust warhead modernization and development of a MMIII replacement called the Land Based Strategic Deterrent that his own party helped vote down along with ACI, RNEP & RRWs

 

[EmoBirb]

notwithstanding a superpower should be able to walk and modernize its strategic forces at the same time.

At the time, it probably wasn't considered necessary anymore, or at least not prioritized.

The Soviets were gone, Russia was in shambles, these Chinese? Pff, sure they won't be a problem in the future. And even if, the B-2 and Ohio would be enough. Right? Right???

If something was very low on the priority list in the 90s and early 2000s it was the strategic deterrent and particularly the missile silos.

Although the missile silos are like the cactus you got to your birthday by a distant relative like 5 years ago. They sit in a corner, not being paid attention to, they don't need much aside from a little bit of water (maintenance/modernization) in regular intervals.

 

[Scott Kenny]

Also arguably the most reliable one? The air launched portion is dependent on an aircraft to launch it, while the Tridents are packed into a pressure hull underwater next to a nuclear reactor.

The Minuteman/Sentinel on the other hand is stored in hardened, stationary silos. They are reliable in that sense.

IIRC the Minuteman force has had more issues than the Tridents, so...

 

[NMaude]

IIRC the Minuteman force has had more issues than the Tridents, so...

Keep in mind the MMIII was only supposed to have a ten year service life before being replaced, presumably by the LGM-114 Peacekeeper.

 

[EmoBirb]

IIRC the Minuteman force has had more issues than the Tridents, so...

I'd hope so, given the nature of the Tridents.

But when something goes wrong, I'd argue it's easier to deal with the Minuteman than a malfunctioning Trident for example.

 

[NMaude]

I'd argue it's easier to deal with the Minuteman than a malfunctioning Trident for example.

If a MMIII blows up in its' silo you just merely trash the silo, if Trident blows up you lose the SSBN and its' whole crew.