MAGNA, Utah – Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a $287 million base contract by the Air Force to provide engineering services to assist in sustaining the Minuteman III missile system, according to Northrop Grumman information released Thursday.

Minot Air Force Base’s 91st Missile Wing is one of three missile wings with intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The Propulsion Subsystem Support Contract 2.0, awarded last month, with options, has a contract ceiling of $2.3 billion over 18 1/2 years, and supports the Air Force’s Minuteman III Systems Directorate located at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.

“Northrop Grumman’s selection for PSSC 2.0, along with our industry partners, allows us to offer the Minuteman III Systems Directorate unmatched expertise in maintaining our current nuclear deterrence capabilities,” said Charlie Precourt, vice president, propulsion systems, Northrop Grumman. “We are proud of our continuing role as an integral part of the ICBM enterprise.”

The Minuteman III remains on alert and ready until its end-of-life – later next decade. Minuteman III was originally manufactured in 1970 and has undergone multiple refurbishments to ensure viability. The Northrop Grumman propulsion systems team is addressing sustainment challenges of the missile propulsion system such as material obsolescence, associated hardware and/or equipment repair, and propellant aging-surveillance testing and analysis.