According to the current views of the military-political leadership of the United States, the ground component of the strategic nuclear forces is the main component of the American nuclear triad. This is due to the following distinctive features of ground-based intercontinental ballistic missiles: high readiness to deliver nuclear missile strikes during any strategic offensive operation and the ability to implement various forms and methods of combat use (preventive, retaliatory or retaliatory nuclear strikes in any conditions the current military-political and strategic or operational-tactical situation); high reliability and all-weather performance of their combat duty and combat use for their intended purpose, as well as the ability to ensure defeat with high accuracy and efficiency of any enemy targets of different types of strategic importance. At the same time, nuclear-powered missile-carrying submarines armed with ballistic missiles are considered primarily as a means of carrying out a guaranteed nuclear retaliatory strike.
That is why the Pentagon over the last time has been constantly modernizing the strategic nuclear, or, as they are often called, offensive, US forces of intercontinental ballistic missiles of the Minuteman III type. The Americans replaced or modernized almost everything they could on the Minutemen: they replaced the fuel used in the rocket stages with a more modern and efficient one; modernized and increased the reliability of missile control and guidance systems, etc.
However, time is taking its toll: the missile, which was put into service more than four decades ago (despite the fact that the initial service life of the missiles was determined only 10 years), is no longer able to guarantee the solution of the tasks assigned to the strategic nuclear forces in the medium or even short term. perspective. The youngest Minuteman III rocket in the mine today was launched in 1978! "Even the first-generation iPhone has more computing power than the onboard computer of the Minuteman III," retired US Air Force Major General Roger Berg observes in America's Nuclear Ridge: The Significance of ICBM Consolidation and the New Ground Based Strategic Deterrent”published in January 2017.
That is why, quite recently, after a lengthy discussion, the military-political leadership of the United States nevertheless decided to start implementing a program for creating a ground-based, namely, silo-based, intercontinental ballistic missile of a new generation. This program received the designation Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD), which can be translated from English as the "Program for the creation of a ground-based weapons system for strategic deterrence."
EXCESSIVE OPTIMISM
The possibility of developing a new generation of ICBMs in the US Air Force began to be studied in 2002, and in 2004, experts began the Analysis of Alternatives (AOA) procedure. Moreover, initially, which is interesting, it was about the possible start of the gradual deployment of a new intercontinental ballistic missile - with the replacement of ICBMs of the Minuteman III type - already in 2018. Later it became clear that these plans were too optimistic, so the US Air Force Space Command, which was then responsible for the ICBM forces, recommended that the command of its armed forces and the military-political leadership of the United States apply an "evolutionary approach to replacing the Minuteman III missile group." …
According to this approach, the Pentagon was supposed to continue work on the modernization of individual structural elements of the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles on alert with the intention of using them later on next-generation missiles, rather than starting from scratch to develop a completely new missile. This was announced in June 2006 by the deputy head of this command, Lieutenant General Frank Klotz, later, in 2009-2011, who served as head of the US Air Force's Global Strikes Command. According to the general, one of the motivating reasons for this was financial savings.
Looking ahead, we note that the desire to save budgetary funds forced the American military to put forward almost for the first time a real proposal to ensure a "high degree of unification" between land-based and sea-based strategic ballistic missiles.
However, the pilots and sailors could not find mutual understanding, so the Air Force command decided to analyze the possibility of modernizing the Minuteman III missiles in order to preserve their combat-ready grouping until the turn of 2030, when it was planned to put a new type of ICBM on alert. At the same time, a study of the potential appearance of the latter was begun. Then, in 2011, US Air Force specialists began to study the possibility of maintaining the combat potential of the ground group of national strategic nuclear forces based on an assessment of capabilities, and next year - to a new "Analysis of Alternatives" in relation to the group of intercontinental ballistic missiles, which was successfully completed in 2014 year.
Finally, an article appeared in the request for funding under the US military budget for fiscal 2013, which included funding for a new program, the Strategic Deterrence Ground-Based Weapons Program. This milestone can rightfully be considered the starting point of the history of the creation of a new generation of American intercontinental ballistic missiles. The first tranche under this item was small, only $ 11, 7 million (to finance the above-mentioned study "Analysis of Alternatives"), but, as they say, the hardest thing is the beginning.
WINNED "HYBRID PLAN"
As part of the final Analysis of Alternatives, the following options or scenarios were considered:
- the basic scenario - implied a gradual extension of the service life of the Minuteman III missiles until 2075, subject to a complete rejection of attempts to “eliminate the gap that has arisen in the combat capabilities in the field of strategic missile weapons”;
- a phased approach - to increase the combat potential of a grouping of ICBMs of the Minuteman III type by introducing a number of improvements into this missile system;
- the "complete replacement" option - the creation of a new intercontinental ballistic missile, which should replace a separate launch of ICBMs of the "Minuteman" III type in the existing silo launchers;
- "mobile version" - the development of a new intercontinental ballistic missile as part of a mobile strategic missile system (ground or rail-based);
- "tunnel version" - the most exotic option, which implied the creation of a strategic missile system based underground in specially constructed tunnels and moving through them.
Based on the results of the first stage of the analysis of these options for the development of the ground-based grouping of American strategic nuclear forces, only three options were allowed for further study: the basic option (the cost of implementation for the period 2019–2075 in 2014 financial year prices - $ 160 billion); the complete replacement option (implementation cost - $ 159 billion) and the newly proposed "hybrid" option, according to which the silo-based ICBM grouping was retained and a new mobile missile system was developed (implementation cost - $ 242 billion). A simple analysis of the value indicator prompted a number of experts even then to make an assumption about which option would eventually win.
In July 2014, senior representatives of the US military-industrial complex were briefed on the main findings of the Alternative Analysis regarding the future of the ground-based component of the strategic offensive forces and the associated need for a new ICBM. A special report by the US Congressional Research Service, released on August 8, 2017 by nuclear weapons analyst Amy Wolfe, entitled "US Strategic Nuclear Forces: Key Data, Developments, and Issues,", now the final "Analysis of Alternatives" came to the conclusion about the feasibility of implementing a "hybrid" plan for the creation of a new generation of ICBMs.
Its main features are as follows:
- the basic design of the new rocket is preserved, the communication and command transmission system available today, as well as the operating (combat-ready) silo launchers of a separate launch;
- the rocket stage engines, the guidance system, the launch platform and nuclear warheads, as well as the corresponding support systems and additional equipment will be created anew;
- the priority option for the deployment of new generation ICBMs is stationary deployment in highly protected silo launchers for a separate launch, but the design of the missile and the capabilities of the control system will allow, in the future, if necessary, to place a new ICBM in a mobile version.
The US Congressional Research Service report also provides funding for the Strategic Deterrence Ground-Based Weapons Program, which looks like this: FY16 (FY) $ 75 million, FY17. - $ 113 million, FY18 (request) - $ 215.7 million (it was originally planned to request $ 294 million). In total, according to the information contained in the US Air Force request for funding in FY18. through FY2022 it is planned to spend more than 5, 2 billion dollars for this program.
It should be mentioned that in 2015, representatives of the US Air Force command estimated the total costs of the 30-year program for the creation, procurement and operation of a new generation ICBM in the amount of about $ 62.3 billion (in 2015 prices), including including: the purchase of 642 missiles - $ 48.5 billion (400 new intercontinental ballistic missiles are planned to be put on alert), the cost of the command and control system - $ 6, 9 billion, modernization of missile launch control points - $ 6, 9 billion …
However, the information released in September 2016 by the Bloomberg agency with reference to representatives of the Department of Analysis and Evaluation of Programs of the US Defense Ministry indicated that its specialists now estimate this program for the same 30-year period already at $ 85 billion, including: R&D - $ 22.6 billion, missile purchases - $ 61.5 billion, necessary for the implementation of the military construction program - $ 718 million. Air Force representatives, however, noted that the difference of $ 23 billion is simply the result of different approaches and criteria for the assessment, since the United States has not had full experience in the development, serialization and adoption of intercontinental ballistic missiles for several decades. missiles.
According to the data released in the open American press, the US Air Force command plans to begin production of stages of a new intercontinental ballistic missile during FY2026, begin receiving the first "assembled and ready-to-use products" in FY2028, put on alert the first 9 missiles by FY2029, and the entire 400 missile force on alert by FY2036. True, it is planned to fully equip all currently available 450 silo launchers of a separate launch with new air force command and control systems only by 2037.
OPEN ARCHITECTURE
American experts point out that a new generation ICBM will be built according to the so-called open architecture, which will allow, if necessary, during its entire planned 60-year service life, it is quite easy and prompt to modernize and improve it, as well as introduce various latest developments into it. … According to representatives of Boeing, which is currently one of the two main contenders for the role of general contractor for this program, the use of a modular approach to the design of the new missile will reduce the cost of its creation and subsequent upgrades.
According to Russian experts, “the new missiles will be equipped with improved rocket engines with increased energy characteristics and less susceptible to cracking during operation. The thrust vector of the main engines is supposed to be controlled by the deflection of the nozzles using electromechanical drives. It is planned to equip it with a new aiming system, a modernized warhead deployment platform with a complex of means to overcome enemy missile defense. In the inertial missile control system, it is planned to use a modern element base, as well as radiation-resistant electronic components of a new generation. The missile control system will ensure firing accuracy no worse than KVO - 120 meters. It is planned to completely replace the ground test and launch equipment at launch control points and silo heads. A promising ICBM will be equipped with new warheads, the creation of which is envisaged by the "three plus two" concept based on existing nuclear components. It is envisaged to develop a unified breeding platform with a liquid or solid propellant engine to accommodate several warheads "(M. Vildanov, N. Bashkirov, A. Kuznetsov." The Pentagon is preparing a replacement ICBM Minuteman III. ".).
On July 29, 2016, the United States Air Force's Nuclear Weapons Center's ICBM Directorate's Office for Strategic Deterrence Ground-Based Weapons Program oversight issued a request for proposals to interested companies on the development, production and subsequent maintenance of next-generation ICBMs. Interest in this program was shown by Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, however, based on the results of consideration of the documents received, the US Air Force issued contracts to only two of them on August 21, 2017: Boeing received a contract worth 349.2 million dollars, and the company "Northrop Grumman" - worth 328.6 million dollars. The contracts were issued as part of the implementation of the stage of finalization of technologies and risk reduction (Technical Maturation and Risk Reduction - TMRR) and provide for the need for development within three years - in a period of up to 20 August 2020 - a project of a promising American intercontinental ballistic missile. Based on the results of studying the options for the latter proposed by the companies, the customer in 2020 will decide on the choice of the general contractor for the program.
Taking into account the fact that recently the Pentagon also issued the first contracts for the program to create a long-range air-launched cruise missile of a new generation, and the fleet is actively working on a new generation of nuclear submarine strategic missile carrier, it can be concluded that the military-political leadership of the United States is serious and decided for a long time to link the national program of military development with the radical modernization of the strategic offensive forces. The question is - towards whom will they be advancing?
FROM THE DOSSIER
Strategic Missile Army
The strategic offensive (nuclear) forces of the United States, based on the current doctrinal guidelines of the country's military-political leadership, are intended to nuclear deterrence of the enemy's aggression and to solve the problem of engaging the enemy's strategic objects in preemptive or retaliatory (retaliatory) actions (operations, strikes).
The US strategic offensive forces currently have three organizational components:
- land-based strategic missile forces or intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) forces;
- sea-based strategic missile forces;
- strategic bomber aviation.
The ground-based strategic missile forces, or, as they are often called by experts, the ICBM forces are organizationally part of the 20th Air Force (VA) of the United Strategic Command (USC) of the US Armed Forces, whose headquarters are deployed at the F. E. … Warren. At the same time, in the event of the transfer of American strategic forces to the highest degree of combat readiness, the 214th operational unit (Task Force 214 - TF 214) is created on the basis of the 20th VA within the USC.
In turn, the 20th VA includes three missile wings or, as they are sometimes also called, "ICBM wings":
- 90th missile wing, location - Avb named after F. E. Warren, Wyoming (319th, 320th, and 321st Missile Squadrons);
- 91st missile wing, location - AvB Minot, North Dakota (740th, 741st and 742nd missile squadrons);
- 341st missile wing, location - Avb Malmstrom, Montana (10th, 12th and 490th missile squadrons).
Each missile wing of the 20th VA organizationally includes three missile squadrons, each of which, in turn, is subdivided into five detachments. Each of these detachments has at their disposal 10 silo launchers of a separate launch (silo launchers OS). Thus, one rocket squadron is responsible for the operation of 50 OS silos, and each missile air wing is responsible for 150 OS silos. The plans for the development of the strategic offensive forces of the US Armed Forces provide for the reduction of the combat-ready missiles in the silos of the OS to 400, the rest are partly disassembled and stored in the arsenal, and partly used in the course of missile firing. At the same time, the number of combat-ready silos of the OS remains unchanged, 450 units, which allows, if necessary, to place additional or new ICBMs in them.
It should also be noted that in addition to the ICBMs and silos of the OS in which they are located, the composition of these detachments, squadrons and wings also includes bodies and command posts, as well as units and subdivisions of operational and logistical support. In addition, the 20th VA also includes the following separate military units, operational and logistical support units of the central subordination (to the army commander):
- 377th Air Base Service Wing (airfield service wing), location - Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. The servicemen of this wing are responsible for all types of maintenance (operation) of air bases, including those on which the missile wings of the 20th Air Army of the US Air Force KGU are deployed, and also ensure the activities of the US Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center;
- 498th nuclear systems servicing wing, location - Kirtland Aviation Base. This wing was officially commissioned on April 1, 2009, and is responsible for the operation (maintenance) of nuclear weapons and systems of the 20th Air Army of the US Air Force's Global Strike Command (GGC), which the wing's military personnel must transfer to combat units "in combat readiness";
- 582nd helicopter group, location - Avb named after F. E. Warren, Wyoming. The group, formed in 2015, includes three helicopter squadrons equipped with UH-1N Huey helicopters and involved in security tasks: the 37th and 40th helicopter squadrons are assigned to AvB Malmstrom, and the 54th squadron is assigned to base Minot. The group also includes the 582nd Operational Support Squadron;
- 625th Strategic Operations Squadron, based at Avb Offut, Nebraska.
Operational control of all American strategic offensive forces is carried out by the USC of the US Armed Forces, whose headquarters are located at AvB Offut, Nebraska. In peacetime, this command is operatively subordinate only to those forces and means that are currently on alert, and in a threatened period and in wartime all available combat-ready ICBMs, SSBNs and strategic bombers, as well as forces and means of supporting the activities of strategic US offensive forces.
The US Air Force Global Strike Command, in turn, administers strategic ground-based missile forces and strategic bomber aircraft (B-1B and B-2A bombers), while the US Air Force KGU and the US Air Force Reserve Command jointly control Type B strategic bombers. -52N, which are designed to solve problems with the use of both nuclear and conventional weapons.
