General Bernard Schriever was a huge factor in the creation and the implementation of the ICBM program at the very beginning of the ballistic missile program. The following is a statement Schriever made discussing the ICBM program.

"The Air Force's ballistic missile program represents a concerted effort of unprecedented magnitude jointly pursued by the most competent and widespread government, science and industry teams ever assembled on a single project."

Once again 65 years after General Schriever first made this statement, the Air Force is now taking on a similar task that encapsulates a huge undertaking in the research, the design, and the production followed by placing the LGM-35A Sentinel missile on strategic alert.

The current ICBM, the Minuteman III missile, presently on strategic alert at FE Warren, Minot and Malmstrom Air Force bases, was first deployed in 1970. Since that time the Minuteman III has seen a number of Life Extension programs implemented, to assure that the MMIII missile will be viable until 2030. Given that the Minuteman missile is coming to its end of use, prompted the creation of the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program.

On July 29, 2016 the Air Force released a request for proposal to develop what was then called the Ground Based Strike Deterent missile. The Air Force released a statement April 5, 2022 reporting that the new GBSD missile would be called the Sentinel missile.