U.S. Air Force Colonel Charles Clegg was removed from his position as director of the Sentinel intercontinental range ballistic missile program on June 24, with the service citing a “loss of confidence” in his ability, and stating that he “did not follow organisational procedures.” His dismissal comes as the program has faced growing controversy, with the House Appropriations Committee having stated that it “was stunned to learn” of the massive increases in costs. The Air Force denied, however, that the dismissal had been “directly related” to issues recently raised in the congressional review of the program. Costs have increased by over 37 percent to an estimated $131 billion, with lawmakers having provided only 91 percent of requested program funding for the coming year at $3.4 billion – rather than $3.74 billion. The Senate Armed Services Committee stated in its fiscal 2024 budget report that the program would be lengthy and complicated, “involving real estate purchases, construction, deconstruction, removal and installation of equipment and nuclear certification.” Over ten years remain before completion.
The cost per missile is now projected at $162 million in 2020 dollars, compared to an initial projection of just $118 million, with Assistant U.S. Air Force secretary for acquisition Andrew Hunter having asserted on January 18 that this was because the initial cost estimate “failed to capture the massive size and scope of the launch facilities and launch control construction effort.” “The funny thing about once-in-a-century projects [is that] there’s a lot that was not appreciated. It was like we were doing it for the first time,” he added. Completing the program is nevertheless considered critical, with the LGM-30 Minuteman III missiles the Sentinels are intended to replace being by far the oldest fielded by any country in the world, having been produced from 1970 to 1978. The United States and the Western world more broadly field no other ICBM classes. Cost overruns affecting the Sentinel program have nevertheless continued to bolster calls within both the civilian and military leadership to terminate it, which would necessitate ending the deployment of ICBMs altogether and cutting the strategic nuclear triad to just bombers and ballistic missile submarines. This could include diverting funds from the Sentinel program to expanding the fleets of upcoming B-21 bombers and Colombia Class ballistic missile submarines, although ground based launchers represent a far more cost effective way of delivering strategic nuclear attacks.