Bechtel, Kratos join Northrop Grumman's Ground Based Strategic Deterrent team

Northrop Grumman has added Bechtel and Kratos to its team that will develop the military's next-generation intercontinental ballistic missile system -- the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent.

"As part of the Northrop Grumman GBSD nationwide team, Bechtel will provide launch system design, construction and integration, and Kratos will provide other vehicle transporters including the missile transporters and payload transporter," the company said in a statement today.

Northrop was the only bidder on the prime contract for GBSD's engineering and manufacturing development phase, making it the likely winner when the Air Force announces an award this summer.

In September, Northrop unveiled its initial team, which included Aerojet Rocketdyne, General Dynamics, Honeywell, Lockheed Martin and hundreds of other companies.

If it receives the prime contract, Northrop will have more than 10,000 people working on the GBSD program across the country, according to today's statement.