The importance of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) cannot possibly be overstated. At a time when the political West continues its centuries-old aggression against the world, these weapons are among the handful of tools that ensure retaliation against direct attacks, thus providing unprecedented deterrence capabilities. As for the United States, it’s the only Western country that operates them (at least in the land-based configuration). However, the newest ICBMs in America’s arsenal are now well over half a century old. The legacy LGM-30G “Minuteman 3” is effectively “beyond repair” at this point, as its modernization potential had been exhausted decades ago. Its replacement, designated LGM-35A “Sentinel”, is being developed by the notorious Northrop Grumman Corporation, one of the most prominent companies of the infamous US Military Industrial Complex (MIC).

However, even this program, officially known as the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), one of the most ambitious and complex ever undertaken by the US, is still faced with major issues. Since its very inception, the “Sentinel” has been plagued by numerous problems, including massive cost overruns, delays and even issues with basic technologies that shouldn’t really be a problem for a country like America. These issues have even resulted in proposals for the USAF to retire the ancient “Minuteman 3” completely and divert the freed-up resources to the “Sentinel”. However, this would leave Washington DC entirely without the land-based leg of its triad, effectively eroding it into a dyad composed of strategic bombers and SLBMs (submarine-launched ballistic missiles). Some top NATO members, such as the United Kingdom and France, rely precisely on such strategic posturing.

However, as the US is now faced with multiple global and regional adversaries simultaneously, primarily thanks to........

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