ICBM Reentry Vehicles

Abstract

The Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) Reentry Vehicles (RVs) program will design, develop, produce, and deploy an integrated RV capable of delivering the W87-1 Warhead and future warheads when released from the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) ICBM. The Mk21A program will meet the requirements laid out in the GBSD Capability Development Document (CDD) as directed by Air Force Global Strike Command, and will provide needed performance and security enhancements over the Mk21 RV to meet the upgraded requirements for the Department of Energy W87-1 Warhead. The Mk21A RV includes: high velocity nose tip; high impulse transducer; arming and fuzing assembly; aeroshell forward section, body section, and rear cover; radio frequency subsystem with antennas; RV spin-up system; in-flight disconnect cable; and other electrical cables. The major activities in the Mk21A RV Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction (TMRR) phase include: (1) Trade Studies, (2) Prototype designs, (3) government systems engineering, analytics, and test capability development, (4) RV risk reduction, and (5) Weapon System (WS) integration risk reduction. During the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase, the Mk21A program will include prime contractor development of a critical RV design, applicable support equipment, data, flight test hardware, infrastructure, and training materials while examining and mitigating weapon system integration risks, nuclear surety, hardness and certification, and system vulnerability assessments. Additionally, the program, in conjunction with the National Nuclear Security Administration, will develop test assets to ensure the integration and qualification of the Mk21A and W87-1 on GBSD. The Next Generation Reentry Vehicle (NGRV) will meet requirements for future RVs in alignment with the Air Force's RV strategy to maintain continued effectiveness as technology matures. Future RV programs will be able to integrate with current and/or future warheads. This program element may include necessary civilian pay expenses required to manage, execute, and deliver weapon system capability. The use of such programs funds would be in addition to the civilian pay expenses budgeted in program elements 0605831F and 0605833F. In FY2021 $2.681M was expended for civilian pay expenses in this program element, and in FY2022 $2.838M is forecasted for civilian pay expenses in this program element. This program is in Budget Activity 7, Operational System Development because this budget activity includes development efforts to upgrade systems that have been fielded or have received approval for full rate production and anticipate production funding in the current or subsequent fiscal year.

Document Details

• Document Type: R2 Budgetary Justification
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2023
• Source ID: 0101328F_7_3600_PB_2023
• Change Summary Explanation: FY2021 funding reflects a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) adjustment of $3.922 million. The FY2022 President's Budget submittal did not reflect FY2023 through FY2026 funding. Therefore, an explanation of the change between the two budget positions for FY2023 cannot be made in a relevant manner.
• Service Agency Name: Air Force

Entities

Organizations

• United States Air Force

Tags

Communities of Interest

• Cyber
• Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

• Air Force
• Ballistic Missiles
• Commerce
• Data Management
• Engineering
• Ground Based
• Information Systems
• Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
• Manufacturing
• Nose Tips
• Production
• Radio Frequency
• Reentry Vehicles
• Systems Engineering
• Test And Evaluation
• Test Vehicles
• Weapon Systems

Readers

• Civilian Systems Systems Program Capability Development and Upgrade Support Activity Expense and Pay Management.
• Missile Defense Systems.