Expert: The heart is higher than the sky, and the destiny is thinner than paper. Regarding the delayed deployment of intercontinental ballistic missiles by the US Sentinels | US | US
According to recent reports from US media, the US Government Accountability Office has announced that the deployment of the new intercontinental ballistic missile, Sentinel, which is crucial for modernizing the US nuclear arsenal, will be delayed from May 2029 to April June 2030.
In the eyes of the United States, why is the "Sentinel" intercontinental ballistic missile "crucial"? What is the reason for the delay in deployment announced by the United States?
Next generation intercontinental ballistic missiles
Sentinel is the next generation intercontinental ballistic missile of the US military, used to replace Minuteman 3 missiles, and is a key part of the modernization of the US air, land, and sea "nuclear trinity".
Military observer Shao Yongling stated that if Sentinels cannot replace Militia 3 and deploy as scheduled, there will be a gap in the United States' land-based nuclear forces, which the United States, which has always pursued absolute security, cannot accept.
Shao Yongling:
Sentinel is the next generation intercontinental ballistic missile of the United States, with a design lifespan of 50 years. There is still a lot of room for upgrades in the future, so it will have stronger flexibility and adaptability.
For the United States, the main reason why "Sentinels" are "crucial" is that "Militia 3" is too old to be extended and must be retired by the end of the 1920s. If the "Sentinels" cannot be deployed as scheduled, it will create a gap in the deployment of US nuclear forces, which the US does not want to see.
Lack of technical and personnel reserves
Data chart: In early March 2023, the engine of the new generation land-based intercontinental ballistic missile Sentinel in the United States underwent ground testing
The reasons given by the United States for the delayed deployment of "Sentinels" are "supply chain disruptions, software development delays, and quality control deficiencies.".
Shao Yongling believes that the main problem with delayed deployment is the current shortage of technical personnel and reserves in the development of new intercontinental ballistic missiles by the United States.
![Expert: The heart is higher than the sky, and the destiny is thinner than paper. Regarding the delayed deployment of intercontinental ballistic missiles by the US Sentinels | US | US](https://a5qu.com/upload/images/fe6f749f856b59edf089ce2b8c251621.jpg)
Shao Yongling:
The United States has not developed new models of intercontinental missiles for decades, which is very fatal, indicating a serious lack of technological and talent reserves in this field.
The reason for this may be that the United States has adopted a long-term approach to extending the lifespan of intercontinental missiles rather than developing them, resulting in a loss of talent and personnel. Of course, the supply chain for missile production is inevitably incomplete, and now it needs to be rebuilt, which will inevitably lead to various problems.
Heart is higher than the sky "life" is thinner than paper
According to reports, for a period of time, many of the latest equipment from the US military has either encountered quality issues that need to be repaired, research and development budgets have been continuously overspending, or delivery has been delayed.
In Shao Yongling's view, the capabilities of the US military industry have declined, but it is not surprising that there are frequent problems in achieving ideas and designs that exceed their own capabilities in equipment research and development.
Shao Yongling:
During the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union competed for hegemony, and both sides had a drive to "chase after each other". Therefore, weapons and equipment were updated very quickly, and the United States also maintained a relatively complete military research and development capability.
But the current capabilities of the US military industry are no longer comparable to those of the Cold War era. The US military currently places too much emphasis on new technologies in weapon research and development, setting too high technical targets, resulting in cost overruns, continuously extending research and development cycles, and pushing delivery and use times. I think it can be summarized in one sentence, "Heart is higher than heaven, life is thinner than paper.".