The largest U.S. commercial space companies recently shifted priorities toward lunar development, just as DOD pushes its next-gen missile shield plans.
“The deadlock of a single pillar should not jeopardize the entire future of this high-tech European capability, which will bolster our collective defense."
Switching from the Minuteman III to the Sentinel system, led by Northrop Grumman, involves the replacement of more than 600 facilities across five states.
The Pentagon is looking for cheap commercial satellites that can maintain surveillance on other satellites in orbit, including close-range inspections.
Candidates for weaponry aboard the Saudi aircraft could be the MBDA Marte-ER anti-ship missile and MU-90 lightweight torpedo made by Leonardo-owned WASS.
“Otherwise people in Germany or Poland or whatever are going to say: ‘Why are we only sending money across the Atlantic?’” said the Pentagon policy chief.