Vandenberg conducts test launch for development of new weapon system | Local News

A Minotaur I rocket launch Monday evening at Vandenberg Space Station tested a new reentry vehicle, which carries the warhead, under development for the Air Force for the intercontinental ballistic missile weapon system .

The Minotaur I rocket equipped with an unarmed Mk21A reentry vehicle lifted off at 11:01 p.m., flying over the Pacific Ocean, as Vandenberg officials remained mostly mum on the mission beyond the broadcast warnings to boaters and pilots. Vandenberg officials finally released vague details hours before the launch window opened Monday evening.

“Test launches like these are crucial to protecting our nation’s defense,” said Col. Mark Shoemaker, commander of Space Launch Delta 30 at Vandenberg. “As global threats evolve, supporting these launches and maintaining access to space is critical to protecting our nation.”

Beyond saying they conducted an environmental flight test, military officials have not confirmed whether they consider the test a success.

The Air Force has signed a contract with Lockheed Martin for the engineering and development phase of manufacturing the Mk21A.

Once deemed fully operational, the Mk21A RV will be integrated into the country's intercontinental ballistic missile weapons system.

The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, based in New Mexico, is currently leading development of the Mk21A.

“The Mk21A RV is crucial to meeting the rapidly evolving global threat,” said Brig. Gen. William Rogers, Air Force program manager for ICBMs. “Its continued development and deployment will ensure a safe, secure and effective deterrent for the foreseeable future. »

For this mission, the Army used a Minotaur family vehicle based on retired government-supplied Peacekeeper and Minuteman rocket engines.

Northrop Grumman equipped the rocket with modern avionics and other flight-proven subsystems to produce what the Army calls “cost-effective, responsive launch vehicles to support missile defense testing and other suborbital applications “.

A similar test took place two years ago, but ended in failure 11 seconds after launch from Vandenberg.

The Air Force is developing a next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile as part of the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent Weapons System, also known as Sentinel.

As part of this effort, military and defense companies have worked to modify the existing Mk21 reentry vehicle, typically a cone-shaped device placed inside the nose of a missile. Re-entry vehicles carry a warhead for the final leg of the journey to the target.

The program aims to refine the older Mk21 re-entry vehicle with the capability to deliver the W87-1 warhead for Sentinel.

This Sentinel weapons system would replace the aging fleet of Minuteman III ICBMs on alert around Malmstrom Air Force Base near Great Falls, Montana; Minot Air Force Base outside Minot, North Dakota; and FE Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming.