Sentinel

Welcome to the Air Force’s Sentinel Deployment and Minuteman III Decommissioning and Disposal Project Environmental Permitting and Compliance information website. The Sentinel weapon system addressed in this website was formerly known as the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD). This website hosts all public facing information related to the project and is intended as a resource for sharing the most up to date information on the Sentinel Deployment for outside agencies, landowners affected by the project, and the general public. As the Sentinel project moves forward, this website will be updated with additional information and can be accessed anytime throughout the duration of the project.

The project includes replacing all land based MMIII ICBMs deployed in the continental United States with Sentinel ICBMs. All components of the MMIII missile would be replaced, including the three motors, two interstages, propulsion system rocket engine, and missile guidance set. The number, size, configuration, and design of the nuclear warheads provided by the Department of Energy would remain unchanged.

Below are some frequently asked questions to help you better understand various aspects of the Sentinel program.

I. REAL ESTATE ACQUISITION
II. FARMING & USE
III. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
IV. CONSTRUCTION
V. COMMUNITY IMPACT
VI. NEWSROOM

Q1: Why does the Air Force want to access my property?

The update from Minuteman III to the Sentinel ICBM requires upgrading existing launch centers and support facilities. The Air Force needs access to local property for environmental analysis, land surveys, and appraisals. The Air Force also needs access to local property to assess construction locations and to support construction and system deployment needs.

Q2: What will my property be used for?

Your property has the potential to either be used for utility corridors, temporary support sites adjacent to existing sites or as a location for a Sentinel communications tower.

Q3: How do you determine fair market value ?

Just compensation is generally construed to be the Fair Market value of the property. An approved appraisal is generally determined by an independent professional real estate appraiser in accordance with appropriate state and federal regulations. The Department of the Air Force, or its authorized representative, will use this real estate appraisal as a basis for establishing the value of any real estate interest.

Q4. If I sell my land, will I be able to lease it back?

Utility corridor easements will allow the land owner to use their land or lease the property to additional parties, so long as the Government’s right to maintain and operate a utility corridor on that property is not impacted.

Q1: Can I continue to use the land?

Access would be limited for a short time during construction, but landowners could continue to use the land before and after installation activities are completed. Some restrictions pertaining to installing permanent structures may also apply. The Air Force would work with landowners regarding the timing for construction in order to minimize the impact on the owner’s use of the property.

Q2: Will farmers be able to farm their land after they allow access to their land?

Yes. However, access will be limited during construction, but landowners can continue to use the land after installation activities are completed. For a short time during the construction and installation process, property owners will not have access to designated portion(s) of the acreage. Some restrictions pertaining to installing permanent structures may also apply. The Air Force will work with landowners regarding the timing for construction in order to minimize the impact on the owner’s use of the property. The Air Force will restore land to a pre-existing state to the extent possible.

Q3: I currently use my property for agriculture in the area the Air Force is looking to purchase. Would advance communication allow me to harvest crops, cut grass, or move cattle from the area before work begins?

The Air Force will give advanced notice of its construction activities on the property so that landowners can plan accordingly.

Q4: What restrictions will there be on the use of my land after installation?

Landowners will not be able to install or construct permanent structures over the easement, as easy access to the easement utility corridor cabling by the Air Force is required for the future operational reasons, such as cable maintenance. However, it is important to note that the buried utility cable should not impact ranch and farming operations.

Q5: After the project is done, what other access will I have to give the government?

It depends upon which portion of the project will be conducted on the property. For utility corridors, once the project is complete, the easement allows the Air Force the right of ingress and egress to patrol, maintain, repair, and replace the utility. However, the landowner will be notified by a Government Representative that they will be on their property on a particular date and will try to de-conflict schedules to the extent possible. For tower sites, the Government will own the right to ingress and egress the tower sites with no notice to the landowner. If gates are installed to limit access to the road for whatever reason, the Government will also need to access the gate. All of this will be explained in detail to the landowners when the decision regarding the use of private property is made.

Q6: Would the Air Force use existing utility corridors and/or construct new ones?

The Air Force is proposing to use both existing utility corridors and to establish new corridors to meet Sentinel operational requirements.

Q7: If the Air Force is not proposing to use the existing corridors, what would become of the buried cables?

All existing corridors would continue to be used.

Q8: I was asked to provide access for a corridor that has crops on the other side. Will I be able to access these fields after the corridors are dug? I don’t want to lose the crop.

After the installation/construction of the utility corridor is accomplished, the property owner may continue farming operations.

Q1: What is an Environmental Impact Statement or “EIS”?

The “EIS” acronym stands for “Environmental Impact Statement.” Under the National Environmental Policy Act, the Air Force is required to conduct environmental analysis for any proposed major federal action to determine the environmental impact from the proposed activities, provide the public and other stakeholders an opportunity to comment on the action and associated analyses, and to consider all reasonable alternatives, prior to making a final determination to proceed with the action. The Sentinel proposal constitutes a major federal action with potentially significant environmental impacts and thus an EIS has been developed. The Final EIS was completed and released March 31, 2023, and can be viewed at https://www.afgsc.af.mil/Sentinel/Environmental-Impact-Statement/. Following completion of the EIS, a final determination about the Sentinel proposal will be made by the Secretary of the Air Force.

Q2: What happens if you find cultural or natural resources on my property?

If the Air Force determines the proposed action could significantly impact cultural or natural resources, it presents its findings and recommended mitigation measures to landowners and appropriate stakeholders. We recognize landowners are concerned about the potential impact such findings could have on use of land and agricultural operations, and the Air Force will work closely with landowners to ensure mitigation procedures – if needed – are coordinated appropriately.

*For more information regarding the environmental impact of this project, visit https://www.afgsc.af.mil/Sentinel/Environmental-Impact-Statement/.

Q3: Will the frequencies transmitted from the proposed towers be harmful?

The equipment installed on the new communication towers associated with the Sentinel project would be coordinated with the FCC using existing approval processes for use of the electromagnetic spectrum and installed in accordance with all applicable safety requirements. Please refer to the FCC’s radio frequency safety site for additional information: RF Safety FAQ | Federal Communications Commission (fcc.gov).

The Sentinel Intercontinental Ballistic Missile program is intended to modernize and replace the Minuteman III ICBM weapon system of 400 operationally deployed missiles and 450 launch facilities. An Analysis of Alternatives in 2014 determined a weapon system replacement of the aging Minuteman III was the most cost-effective solution for maintaining the ground-based leg of the nuclear triad. In Sep 2020, the Air Force awarded a $13.3-billion Engineering and Manufacturing Development contract to Northrop Grumman as the prime contractor. In December 2023, a Program Deviation Report concluded there was no alternative approach to meet the Sentinel program’s baseline requirements. As a result, the Air Force reported on January 18, 2024, cost growth beyond its initial cost projections, which resulted in a critical Nunn-McCurdy breach. The Department of Defense subsequently reviewed the Sentinel program and has certified it as essential to U.S. national security, reaffirming that a restructured program continues to be the optimal solution for meeting our national security strategy. The Air Force is in the process of developing a detailed plan to restructure the Sentinel program, targeting the root causes of the breach, and establishing an appropriate management structure to control costs. Meanwhile, our ICBM force remains steadfast in its mission to provide 24/7 strategic deterrence and is prepared to respond at a moment’s notice as the most responsive leg of the nuclear triad. Maintaining a strong nuclear deterrent is critical to safeguarding our nation and protecting our allies from a nuclear attack. The Air Force will not have a new timeline and phasing for transition and deployment activities until the program is restructured. This page will be updated as new information becomes available.