Trident II
Type	SLBM
Service history
In service	1990–present
Used by	United States United Kingdom
Production history
Manufacturer	Lockheed Martin Space Systems
Unit cost	$30.9 million [1]
Specifications
Weight	58,500 kg (130,000 lb)
Length	44 ft (13.41 m)
Diameter	83 in (2.11 m)
Warhead	up to Eight W76/W88
Blast yield	Up to 3.8 megatons
Engine	three stage solid propellant
Operational range	up to 7000 miles (11300 km)
Speed	29,050 km/h (18,000 mph)
Guidance system	Inertial guidance system, with Star-Sighting

This article contains technical information about the Trident ballistic missile. For a discussion of the British Trident weapons program, see UK Trident programme

The Trident missile, named after the trident, is a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) designed by Lockheed Martin Space Systems in the United States which is armed with nuclear warheads and is launched from SSBNs, nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. Trident missiles are carried by fourteen active US Navy Ohio class submarines and, with British warheads, four Royal Navy Vanguard class submarines. Image File history File links Trident_II_missile_image. ... French M45 SLBM and M51 SLBM Submarine-launched ballistic missiles or SLBMs are ballistic missiles delivering nuclear weapons that are launched from submarines. ... Lockheed Martin Space Systems is one of the 4 major business divisions of Lockheed Martin. ... The W76 warhead and Mk-4 reentry vehicle (cutaway diagram) - Los Alamos National Labs image The W76 is a United States thermonuclear warhead. ... In 1999, information came out implying that in some U.S. designs, the primary (top) is prolate, while the secondary (bottom) is spherical. ... A megaton or megatonne is a unit of mass equal to 1,000,000 metric tons, i. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia is initially launched using solid-fuel boosters Solid rockets are rockets with a motor that uses solid propellants (fuel/oxidizer). ... An inertial guidance system consists of an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) combined with a set of guidance algorithms and control mechanisms, allowing the path of a vehicle to be controlled according to the position determined by the inertial navigation system. ... Diagramatic view of a Trident II D5 missile The UK Trident programme is the United Kingdoms Trident missile-based nuclear weapons programme. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... French M45 SLBM and M51 SLBM Submarine-launched ballistic missiles or SLBMs are ballistic missiles delivering nuclear weapons that are launched from submarines. ... Lockheed Martin Space Systems is one of the 4 major business divisions of Lockheed Martin. ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 kilometers (11 mi) above the hypocenter A nuclear weapon derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions of fusion or fission. ... The Redoutable, a French SNLE (now a museum) A ballistic missile submarine is a submarine equipped to launch ballistic missiles (SLBMs), such as the Russian R-29 or the American/British Trident. ... USN redirects here. ... The United States has 18 Ohio class submarines: 14 nuclear-powered SSBNs, each armed with 24 Trident II SLBMs; they are also known as Trident submarines, and provide the sea-based leg of the nuclear triad of the United States strategic deterrent forces 4 nuclear-powered SSGNs, each armed with... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ... The Vanguard class are the Royal Navys current nuclear ballistic missile submarines (SSBN), each armed with up to 16 Trident II SLBMs. ...

Development

Trident I (C4) was deployed in 1979 and phased out in the 1990s and early 2000s. Trident II (D5) was first deployed in 1990, and was planned to be in service for the thirty year life of the submarines, until 2027.

Trident missiles are provided to the United Kingdom under the terms of the 1963 Polaris Sales Agreement which was modified in 1982 for Trident. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had written to President Carter on July 10, 1980 to request that he approve supply of Trident I missiles. However in 1982 Thatcher wrote to President Reagan to request the United Kingdom be allowed to procure the Trident II (Trident D5) system, the procurement of which had been accelerated by the US Navy. This was agreed in March 1982.^[2] Under the agreement, the United Kingdom made a 5% research and development contribution. The Polaris Missile was a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) carrying a nuclear warhead developed during the Cold War for the United States Navy. ... Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC, FRS (née Roberts; born 13 October 1925) served as British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 until 1990, being the first and only woman to hold either post. ... For other persons named Jimmy Carter, see Jimmy Carter (disambiguation). ... is the 191st day of the year (192nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar). ... Reagan redirects here. ...

D5 life extension

A decision was taken in 2002 to extend the life of the submarines and the D5 missiles to the year 2042. This requires a D5 Life Extension (D5LE) Program, which is currently underway. The main aim is to replace obsolete components at minimal cost by leveraging commercial off the shelf (COTS) hardware; all the while maintaining the demonstrated performance of the existing Trident II missiles. In 2007, Lockheed Martin was awarded a total of $789.9 million in contracts to perform this work, which also includes upgrading the missiles' guidance and reentry systems.^[3] The British Prime Minister was quoted as saying the issue would be fully debated in Parliament prior to a decision being taken.^[4] And on December 4, 2006, Tony Blair outlined plans in Parliament to build a new generation of submarines to carry existing Trident missiles, and join the D5LE project to refurbish them.^[5] A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. ... is the 338th day of the year (339th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... A Trident missile launches from a submerged submarine The British replacement of Trident is a proposal to replace the existing Vanguard class of four submarines each armed with 16 Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missiles. ... A Trident missile launches from a submerged submarine The British replacement of Trident is a proposal to replace the existing Vanguard class of four submarines each armed with 16 Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missiles. ...

Description

The launch from the submarine occurs below the ocean surface. The missiles are ejected from their tubes by igniting an explosive charge in a separate container which is separated by two titanium alloy pinacles activated by a triple alloy steam system. The energy from the blast is directed to a water tank, which is flash-vaporized to steam. The subsequent pressure spike is strong enough to eject the missile out of the tube and give it enough momentum to reach and clear the surface of the water. However, should this fail, there are several safety mechanisms that can either deactivate the missile before launch or proceed missile through an additional phase of launch. Inertial motion sensors are activated upon launch, and when the sensors detect downward acceleration after being blown out of the water, the first stage engine ignites, the aerospike extends, and the boost phase begins. The missile is pressurized with nitrogen to prevent the intrusion of water into any internal spaces, which could damage the missile or add weight which would destabilize the missile. When the third stage motor fires, within two minutes of launch, the missile is traveling faster than 20,000 ft/s (6,000 m/s), or 13,600 mph. This article is on the engine technology, unrelated to the frontally mounted drag reduction aerospike as fitted to the Trident missile. ... General Name, symbol, number nitrogen, N, 7 Chemical series nonmetals Group, period, block 15, 2, p Appearance colorless gas Standard atomic weight 14. ...

The missile attains a temporary low altitude orbit only a few minutes after launch. The Guidance System for the missile is an Inertial Guidance System with an additional Star-Sighting system, which is used to correct small positional errors that have accrued during the flight. GPS has been used on some test flights but is assumed not to be available for a real mission. In physics, an inertial frame of reference, or inertial frame for short (also descibed as absolute frame of reference), is a frame of reference in which the observers move without the influence of any accelerating or decelerating force. ...

Once the Star-sighting system has been completed, the missile deploys the multiple independent reentry vehicles as their individual targets come within range. The lateral area coverage of the targets remains classified. The warheads enter the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds, leaving bright trails of fire in their path, often referred to as "the fingers of God".^{[citation needed]}

The Trident was built in two variants: the I (C4) UGM-96A and II (D5) UGM-133A. The C4 and D5 designations put the missiles within the "family" that started in 1960 with Polaris (A1, A2 and A3) and continued with the 1971 Poseidon (C3). Both Trident versions are three-stage, solid-propellant, inertially guided missiles whose range is increased by an aerospike, a telescoping outward extension that halves aerodynamic drag. In the post-boost phase, the Trident missile uses stellar sighting to update its position and reduce the drift error inherent in all inertial reference systems. The Polaris Missile was a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) carrying a nuclear warhead developed during the Cold War for the United States Navy. ... The Poseidon missile was the second US Navy ballistic missile system, powered by a two-stage solid fuel rocket. ... Trident I first launch on 18 January 1977 at Cape Canaveral, showing the aerospike A drag-reducing aerospike is a device used to reduce the forebody pressure drag of blunt bodies at supersonic speeds. ... Drift may refer to: Look up drift in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... An inertial guidance system consists of an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) combined with a set of guidance algorithms and control mechanisms, allowing the path of a vehicle to be controlled according to the position determined by the inertial navigation system. ...

Trident I (C4) UGM-96A

Trident I first launch on 18 January 1977 at Cape Canaveral

A montage of the launch of a Trident I (C4) missile and its reentry vehicles.

"Diagramatic view of a Trident II D5 missile"

The first eight Ohio-class subs were built with the Trident I missiles. Trident were also retrofitted onto 12 SSBNs of the James Madison and Benjamin Franklin classes, replacing Poseidon missiles. Download high resolution version (2325x2898, 367 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (2325x2898, 367 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 750 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2284 × 1826 pixel, file size: 976 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) ID: DNSC8200005 Service Depicted: Navy A montage of seven views showing parts of the launching of a Trident I C-4 missile from the submerged nuclear... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 750 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2284 × 1826 pixel, file size: 976 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) ID: DNSC8200005 Service Depicted: Navy A montage of seven views showing parts of the launching of a Trident I C-4 missile from the submerged nuclear... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 562 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (3000 × 3200 pixel, file size: 441 KB, MIME type: image/png) (All user names refer to en. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 562 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (3000 × 3200 pixel, file size: 441 KB, MIME type: image/png) (All user names refer to en. ... The James Madison class of submarine was an evolutionary development from the Lafayette class of fleet ballistic missile submarine. ... The Benjamin Franklin class of submarine was an evolutionary development from the James Madison class of fleet ballistic missile submarine. ... The Poseidon missile was the second US Navy ballistic missile system, powered by a two-stage solid fuel rocket. ...

Characteristics

• Purpose: strategic nuclear deterrence
• Contractor: Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, California
• Propulsion: three stage solid propellant
• Length: 34 ft (10.2 m)
• Weight: 73,000 lb (33,142 kg)
• Diameter: 74 in (1.8 m)
• Range: 7400 km (4,600 statute miles)
• Guidance system: inertial, with Star-Sighting
• CEP: 1250 ft (380 m)
• Warhead: nuclear multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRV). Eight W76 (100 kt) warheads (Mark 4).
• Date deployed: 1979

Lockheed Martin Space Systems is one of the 4 major business divisions of Lockheed Martin. ... Location in Santa Clara County and the state of California Coordinates: , Country State County Santa Clara Government  - Mayor Otto Lee Area  - Total 22. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia is initially launched using solid-fuel boosters Solid rockets are rockets with a motor that uses solid propellants (fuel/oxidizer). ... In physics, an inertial frame of reference, or inertial frame for short (also descibed as absolute frame of reference), is a frame of reference in which the observers move without the influence of any accelerating or decelerating force. ... In the military science of ballistics, Circular Error Probability or circular error probable (CEP) is a simple measure of a weapon systems precision. ... For the article about the band, see M.I.R.V. The MIRVed U.S. Peacekeeper missile, with the re-entry vehicles highlighted in red. ... The W76 warhead and Mk-4 reentry vehicle (cutaway diagram) - Los Alamos National Labs image The W76 is a United States thermonuclear warhead. ...

Trident II (D5) UGM-133A

During the late 1970s, the Soviet Union developed a large number of heavy, increasingly accurate, MIRVed ICBMs (like the SS-18) that seriously threatened the survival of Minuteman III missiles in their silos. If the Soviet Union could have knocked out the majority of these missiles and the strategic bombers on ground, it would have left the United States with no counterforce capability for the second strike. The Poseidon and Trident I SLBMs were not accurate enough for counterforce strikes. If the Soviet first strike would have avoided hitting civil targets, the US might have been forced not to retaliate against Soviet cities, because of similar Soviet countercity capabilities. So the United States needed weapons which could survive a Soviet first-strike and neutralize the remaining Soviet strategic arsenal, in order to avoid the nuclear blackmail. The R-36M/SS-18- DIA designation, (NATO reporting name Satan) is a massive ICBM capable of a +6000 nm (6600 mi, 10,600 km) flight, and the delivery of ten 0. ... The LGM-30 Minuteman is a United States nuclear missile, a land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) (the other type is the LG-118A Peacekeeper, which is to be phased out by 2005). ... A strategic bomber is a large bomber designed to drop massive amounts of ordinance on a single target, generally in carpet bombing style. ... Counterforce refers to the military strategy of targeting ones forces on the forces of the enemy. ... In nuclear strategy, second strike capability is a countrys assured ability to respond to a nuclear attack with powerful nuclear retalliation against the attacker. ... Poseidon missile The Poseidon missile was the second US Navy ballistic missile system, powered by a two-stage solid fuel rocket. ... In nuclear strategy, first strike capability is a countrys ability to defeat another nuclear power by destroying its arsenal to the point where the attacking country can survive the weakened retaliation. ...

The second variant of the Trident is more sophisticated and can carry a heavier payload. It is accurate enough to be a first strike weapon. All three stages of the Trident II are made of graphite epoxy, making the missile much lighter. The Trident II was the original missile on the British Vanguard and Ohio SSBNs since USS Tennessee (SSBN-734). The D5 missile is currently carried by twelve Ohio class SSBNs.^[6] Lockheed has carried out 120 consecutive successful test launches of the D5 missile since 1989, according to a company press release. In nuclear strategy, first strike capability is a countrys ability to defeat another nuclear power by destroying its arsenal to the point where the attacking country can survive the weakened retaliation. ... Tail of a RC helicopter, made of CFRP Carbon fiber reinforced plastic or (CFRP or CRP), is a very strong, light and expensive composite material or fiber reinforced plastic. ... The Vanguard class are the Royal Navys current nuclear ballistic missile submarines (SSBN), each armed with up to 16 Trident II SLBMs. ... USS Tennessee (SSBN-734), an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine, was the fourth ship and first submarine of the United States Navy to be named for the 16th state. ...

Characteristics

• Purpose: strategic nuclear deterrence
• Contractor: Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Sunnyvale, California
• Unit Cost: $30.9 million
• Propulsion: three stage solid propellant
• Length: 44 ft (13.41 m)
• Weight: 130,000 lb (58,500 kg)
• Diameter: 83 in (2.11 m)
• Range: 9000 miles (11300 km)
• Maximum speed: 18,000 mph (29,030 km/h)
• Guidance system: inertial, with Star-Sighting
• CEP: 300-400 ft (90-120 m)
• Warhead (in USA usage only): nuclear MIRV. Up to eight W88 (475 kt) warheads (Mark 5) or eight W76 (100 kt) warheads (Mark 4). The Trident II can carry 12 MIRV warheads but START I reduces this to 8 and SORT reduces this yet further to 4 or 5.
• Date deployed: 1990

Lockheed Martin Space Systems is one of the 4 major business divisions of Lockheed Martin. ... Location in Santa Clara County and the state of California Coordinates: , Country State County Santa Clara Government  - Mayor Otto Lee Area  - Total 22. ... The Space Shuttle Columbia is initially launched using solid-fuel boosters Solid rockets are rockets with a motor that uses solid propellants (fuel/oxidizer). ... In physics, an inertial frame of reference, or inertial frame for short (also descibed as absolute frame of reference), is a frame of reference in which the observers move without the influence of any accelerating or decelerating force. ... In the military science of ballistics, Circular Error Probability or circular error probable (CEP) is a simple measure of a weapon systems precision. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... In 1999, information came out implying that in some U.S. designs, the primary (top) is prolate, while the secondary (bottom) is spherical. ... The W76 warhead and Mk-4 reentry vehicle (cutaway diagram) - Los Alamos National Labs image The W76 is a United States thermonuclear warhead. ... START (for Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) is a treaty between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. ... The Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions (SORT), better known as the Moscow Treaty, is a 2002 treaty between Russia and the United States limiting their nuclear arsenal to 1700-2200 operationally deployed warheads each. ...

Conventional Trident

The Pentagon proposed the Conventional Trident Modification program in 2006 to diversify its strategic options, as part of a broader long-term strategy to develop worldwide rapid strike capabilities, dubbed "Prompt Global Strike". This article is about the United States military building. ...

The US $503 million program would have converted existing Trident II missiles (presumably two missiles per submarine) into conventional weapons, by fitting them with modified Mk4 reentry vehicles equipped with GPS for navigation update and a reentry guidance and control (trajectory correction) segment to perform 10 m class impact accuracy. No explosive is said to be used since the reentry vehicle's mass and hypersonic impact velocity provide sufficient mechanical energy and "effect". It offered the promise of accurate conventional strikes with little warning and flight time. This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Over fifty GPS satellites such as this NAVSTAR have been launched since 1978. ...

The primary drawback would have been establishing sufficient warning systems so that other nuclear countries would not mistake it for a nuclear launch. For that reason among others, this project raised a substantial debate before US Congress for the FY07 Defense budget, but also internationally. ^[7] Russian President Vladimir Putin, among others, warned that the project would increase the danger of accidental nuclear war. "The launch of such a missile could ... provoke a full-scale counterattack using strategic nuclear forces," Putin said in May 2006.^[8] Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (Russian: ) (born October 7, 1952) is the current President of the Russian Federation. ...

UK Renewal

On 14th March 2007 The government of the United Kingdom won Commons support for plans to renew the UK's nuclear submarine system. Between £15bn and £20bn will be spent on new submarines to carry the Trident missiles. The fleet will take an estimated 17 years to develop and build, and will last until 2050.^[9] More than 90 Labour members of the Commons voted against the proposed upgrade to the missile system, and the vote was only won with the support of the Opposition, although with a substantial majority of 248.^[10]

Operators

•  United Kingdom
  • Royal Navy
•  United States
  • United States Navy

Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... This article is about the navy of the United Kingdom. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... USN redirects here. ...

References

Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 100th day of the year (101st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Todays San Francisco Chronicle was founded in 1865 as The Daily Dramatic Chronicle by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 282nd day of the year (283rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Nuclear weapons and the United States
• Nuclear weapons and the United Kingdom
• British Trident system
• British replacement of the Trident system
• ICBM

The United States of America was the first country in the world to successfully develop nuclear weapons, and is the only country to have used them in war against another nation. ... The United Kingdom was the third country to test an independently developed nuclear weapon in October 1952. ... Trident submarine (SSBN) HMS Vanguard Trident, in popular British usage, refers to the the United Kingdoms ballistic missile submarine-based nuclear deterrent. ... A Trident missile launches from a submerged submarine The British replacement of Trident is a proposal to replace the existing Vanguard class of four submarines each armed with 16 Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missiles. ... A Minuteman III missile soars after a test launch. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Trident missile

• Video of the Trident being launched.
• Trident I and II, at navysite.de
• Trident II D-5, at Federation of American Scientists website
• Equipment, Features and capabilities of the Trident missile, including explanation of stellar sighting
• Picture of the Trident missile compartment on a British Vanguard class submarine
• Basic characteristics of Trident II D5
• Current British Nuclear Weapons at nuclearweapons.org
• IEEE Xplore article
• Ballistic Missile Submarines
• Trident Ploughshares Campaign website
• Time for a nuclear entente cordiale, Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, September/October 2005
• UK's Parliamentary Defence Select Committee: Session 2001/02 Update on weapons programmes
• US-UK Mutual Defence Agreement (MDA) 1958
• HMS Vanguard Trident II test-launch - YouTube video
• Lockheed press release April 9, 2007
• Lockheed Press Release May 16, 2007