Boeing to study ICBM communications security

The Boeing Company has received a €2.9 million contract from Northrop Grumman Corp. to evaluate enhancements to communications security and replacements for data-storage media for the US Air Force's Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) system.

This contract is the second phase of risk-reduction work being done in advance of a major ICBM modification program planned for 2010.

Under this phase of the Master Code Cartridge Conversion programme, Boeing will continue to develop hardware and software for a proof-of-concept demonstration and to draft the programme's requirements documentation. Boeing will complete work on this contract by September.

"This contract will advance the hardware and software concepts that will be critical to keeping the Minuteman weapon system secure and sustainable," said Kelly Johnson, Boeing ICBM Prime Ground and Weapons Systems programme manager. "Data-transport technologies and communication security will be updated, demonstrated and deployed in the next phases of this important modification program."

Boeing has played a key role in ICBM development design, production and maintenance since the Minuteman I was conceptualised in 1958. In addition to ground- and weapon-system sustainment, Boeing performs ICBM repair activities at its Guidance Repair Centre in Heath, Ohio, and is a member of the ICBM prime contractor team.

Boeing's integrated ICBM product teams include more than 1,000 Boeing employees and span several locations, including Heath; Ogden; Anaheim, California; and El Paso, Texas.