Lockheed Martin Secures $996M for MK21A Reentry Vehicle Program

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a contract worth $996 million for the MK21A Reentry Vehicle (RV) program.

The contract aims to conduct engineering, manufacturing, and design work to provide a low technical risk and affordable RV for the Sentinel program. This contract, a sole source acquisition, has been granted by the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, with fiscal 2024 research, development, test, and evaluation funds totaling $26 million being obligated at the time of the award. The project is slated for completion by October 20, 2039.

The MK21A Reentry Vehicle plays a crucial role in the United States' nuclear defense strategy. Currently, the nation's aging fleet of Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) carries the MK21 reentry vehicle atop the Minuteman III missile, which is already undergoing upgrades to transition to the new MK21A configuration. This program is a critical part of the larger effort to modernize the nation's nuclear deterrent capabilities.

In 2019, the U.S. Air Force initiated a partnership with Lockheed Martin to upgrade their aging nuclear weapons fleet, with the objective of transitioning the entire inventory of the country's ICBMs to the new MK21A reentry vehicle by 2029. The MK21A reentry vehicle is specifically designed to accommodate the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent's W87-1 warhead.

Notably, the MK21A reentry vehicle underwent its first real-world tests in 2022. Unfortunately, these tests ended in failure after only 11 seconds when the warhead exploded in the atmosphere, underscoring the technical challenges and risks associated with such endeavors.