One of America’s largest defense contractors is facing renewed criticism over its handling of a high-stakes nuclear weapons program, with some lawmakers calling it a cautionary tale for government spending and a potential target for budget cuts under the DOGE initiative backed by Elon Musk and President Trump.

Northrop Grumman, known for its emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), has been leading the Air Force’s Sentinel program — a major intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) project meant to replace the aging Minuteman III system. But the effort has faced delays, cost overruns, and rising questions about whether it’s needed at all, reports Fox.

The Sentinel program, originally expected to cost $96 billion, has ballooned to at least $141 billion. Earlier this year, development was temporarily halted by the Pentagon due to “evolving launch facility requirements,” Defense One reported. Air & Space Forces Magazine previously reported the program survived a Pentagon review but found that projected cost increases had surged from 37% to 81%.

Northrop Grumman, which had no prior experience designing ICBMs, was awarded the $13 billion full-scale development contract in 2020. According to Bloomberg, the overall cost of the program could eventually climb to $264 billion over the next few decades.

The contract itself stirred controversy after Boeing exited the competition, claiming the bidding process was rigged, as reported by Responsible Statecraft.

“The massive expansion of costs for Northrop Grumman’s Minuteman III program is the case example for why poorly-scoped, blank check programs are a bad idea,” a senior Republican Congressional official who works on defense policy told Fox News Digital.
“This is bad for national security, bad for taxpayers, and Republicans will fix this mess that Biden’s team created,” the official added.

Critics have also questioned the need for the Sentinel program. At a Congressional Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group event last year, former Rep. John Tierney said Sentinel “does not add to our security” and could “actually make us less safe.”
“When will the blank checks to cover spiraling costs end?” Tierney said. “The Sentinel ICBM program is just the latest in a long list of Pentagon programs that are over budget, behind schedule and of questionable utility.”
He added, “The only value” of new ICBM development “is to the defense contractors who line their fat pockets with large cost overruns at the expense of our taxpayers. It has got to stop.”

An Air Force spokesperson told Fox News Digital that steps are being taken to keep the program in check. “We continue to advance the engineering design and maturity of the program with Northrop Grumman, working closely with the company to drive down costs and improve schedule performance,” the spokesperson said.

General David Allvin, Air Force chief of staff, defended the project at a March symposium:
“We own two-thirds of the triad and three-fourths of the nuclear command and control of communications,” Allvin said. “We own the nuclear deterrence. So more Air Force means more nuclear deterrence…We have to have the most reliable, the most safe, the most effective nuclear deterrent. That means sentinel, yes…I believe we need more nuclear deterrence for our nation. It’s a solemn responsibility. It’s not an option.”

Meanwhile, Northrop Grumman has doubled down on its DEI efforts. Its 2023 annual report described DEI as “vital to our culture and our company’s success. Our ability to leverage the power of our diverse workforce enhances employee engagement and enables us to innovate, perform and deliver on quality, which results in value for our shareholders, customers, and employees.” The report also stated that 25% of employees are female, 37% are people of color, 18% are veterans, and 8% are people with disabilities.

As the DOGE effort to slash government waste continues, the Sentinel program — and Northrop’s stewardship of it — may become a prime example in the fight over national defense spending.