The US Air Force (USAF) has announced the signing of LGM-35 Sentinel programmatic agreement, simultaneously across the service’s 11 different locations.
The agreement was drafted by over 150 personnel from the USAF.
It was signed between the USAF and Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, seven State Historic Preservation Officers, Wyoming Attorney General’s office, the National Park Service Interior Region 6, 7 and 8, among others.
All the associated signatories virtually participated in the ceremony to sign the document and reinforce strong partnership between parties to support the agreement, critical for national security.
The programmatic agreement provides several processes and mitigation measures that USAF can adapt to adhere to the country’s cultural resources.
The process of development of this agreement has been underway since the last two years and will now ensure that the USAF’s LGM-35 programme is in accordance with National Historic Preservation Act.
The efforts to replace LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) with Sentinel system will require nearly 34,000-acres of land.
20th Air Force commander major general Michael Lutton said: “The agreement is designed to seek tribal input on the identification, documentation, evaluation and protection of sites and objects of tribal significance through all phases and areas of this project.”
The new LGM-35 Sentinel ICBM system will replace around 400 five-decade-old Minuteman III missiles across different USAF missile fields near F E Warren Air Force Base (AFB), Malmstrom AFB and Minot AFB.
The USAF said that some specific Sentinel maintenance, testing, training and support activities will also be conducted at Hill AFB, Utah; Camp Guernsey, Wyoming; Utah Test and Training Range and Camp Navajo, Arizona.
