https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/congress-should-save-the-sentinel-icbm-its-true-value-is-more-than-simply-its-cost/

"Congress should save the Sentinel ICBM—its true value is more than simply its cost"

By James McCue    21 May 2024

Quote:

In January, the US Air Force notified Congress that the new Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was costing more than expected to build. At 37 percent, the projected cost overruns were considered “critical” and triggered the Nunn-McCurdy act, a law designed to curtail cost growth in major military procurements. Now, as both supporters and critics of the program gear up for the required congressional testimony this summer, it’s important to understand not only what the program costs, but also its true value.

A thorough review reveals that some of the cost estimate increases seem understandable given expensive but worthwhile new requirements. These include replacing thousands of miles of communication cables, improving security, and rebuilding hundreds of silos. Understood in full context, Congress should insist on continuing this vital program—indeed, most Nunn-McCurdy-breaching programs are continued. At the same time, supporters in Congress and the Pentagon need a better argument regarding costs and value propositions. They need to make it clear, especially in the event that costs rise further still, that the value of program should be measured in decades, over its full lifetime, and not simply by its current price tag.