The project, now named the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program, is designed and managed by Northrop Grumman Corp and aims to replace aging Minuteman III missiles.

Since the first silo-based Minuteman went on alert at Montana’s Malmstrom Air Force Base on Oct. 27, 1962 — the day Cuba shot down a U-2 spy plane at the height of the Cuban missile crisis ...

The nuclear-capable Minuteman III, made by Boeing Co. , is key to the U.S. military’s strategic arsenal. The missile has a range of 6,000-plus miles (9,660-plus km) and can travel at a speed of ...