The promising American LGM-35A Sentinel ICBM has successfully passed a series of tests in a wind tunnel using scale models of a rocket, according to an official report from Northrop Grumman, February 16, according to Breaking Defense.

The missile is now awaiting flight tests "should be before the end of this year," despite a US Department of Defense report that said Northrop Grumman was 10 months behind in its development program.

According to Brigadier General Ty Neumann, director of US Air Force concepts, the Sentinel ICBM concept is built on the principles of open architectures and modular design. It is assumed that, in terms of its characteristics, the new ICBM will be relevant throughout the planned 40-year service life.

In total, it is planned to put 400 Sentinel missiles on combat duty, each of which will be equipped with one warhead, that is, replace the arsenal of Minuteman III ICBMs one by one. However, the modular design and increased thrust-to-weight ratio will allow each Sentinel missile to carry multiple reentry vehicles with two or three individual targeting units. The article hints that these may even be combat gliders.

What's more, the modular design will allow the new ICBM to carry "other payloads such as anti-ballistic missiles," writes Breaking Defense.

The total cost of the Sentinel acquisition program, including the construction of new bunkers, is estimated at $95,8 billion, according to the Pentagon report.