WASHINGTON — As the U.S. Air Force dey waka round, dem don drop new bombshell about the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) program. You fit call am wahala, as dem no fit set when dem go fit test am fly for the first time. Na Air Force official wey dey yarn dis one to Breaking Defense from the side wey pipu dey gather to drink palm wine.
Originally, dem plan sey dis ICBM go fly for 2026, but as e be now, na two years delay dem dey talk wey don turn to wahala. Dem don find say una cost don rise clear to 81 percent last year, and now dem dey shake table on top how dem go fit restructure the program.
As dem dey try fix wetin no gree work proper, dem don release new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) wey carry come news say the first flight don push to March 2028. Na serious matter be dat! (Na true say time dey fly, but dis one no be the kind flight wey we dey expect.)
The Air Force no gree talk directly about the GAO timeline, but dem just say “details go show as soon as we wrap up the restructuring.” Wetin dat one mean? E mean sey e fit happen before 2028 or e fit take waka longer. Just dey waka near dem anyhow.
The last year cost increase don make dem rethink plenty things wey concern the land leg of America’s nuclear plan, as dem go dey revamp some of the technical aspects, including how dem go approach flight testing. Dem gree say dem dey try new method wey go fit bring the ICBM to life in phases. Something wey dem call ‘crawl, walk, run’ style. (No be dis kind choreography wey dey sweet for Naija party o, but we no fit blame dem.)
Dem don also carry out one serious test for the missile’s first stage solid rocket motor last March. Northrop Grumman, the company wey dey handle the Sentinel, don clear say dem dey make progress, and dem dey prepare for production. But sometimes, e be like sey na wahala go straff dem.
One spokesperson for Northrop Grumman don talk say dem dey support Air Force work to restructure the program well-well. But all wey we fit hear be sey dem go dey keep eye on wetin dey happen as dem dey make this program work.
As things dey go on, one thing clear be sey, America no fit afford to slack for this missile matter. With countries like China dey build their own nuclear arsenal, e dey important for dem to launch this new missile wey go fit keep America sharp. Na why dey dey obodo kuikuu congress, dem dey push for this program to no slack.
Despite all this wahala, one thing wey dey clear be sey, the House Appropriations defense subcommittee dey vex about the money wey dey move around. Dem dey call for clarity, but na only when dem fit finish restructuring, we go sabi where we dey go next.
If dem fit finalize restructuring well for next year, we go see if all this delay go follow suit, or na just another chapter for the ICBM wahala saga. Na wetin we go dey watch.”
