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Trident (missile)

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Trident
Production history
ManufacturerLockheed Martin Space Systems
Unit cost$30.9 million [1]
Specifications
Mass58,500 kg (130,000 lb)
Length44 ft (13.41 m)
Diameter83 in (2.11 m)
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) 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.

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.

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]

Description

The launch from the submarine occurs below the ocean surface. The missiles are ejected from their tubes by gas pressure created by a "gas generator", a solid-fuel rocket motor attached to the bottom of the missile tube which heats a pool of water creating steam. After the missile leaves the tube and rises through the water over the submarine, the first stage motor ignites, the aerospike extends, and the boost phase begins. Ideally, the missile is "sheathed" in gas bubbles for its entire time in the water, so liquid never touches 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 12,000 mph.

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.

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.

Characteristics

Trident II (D5) UGM-133A

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 119 consecutive successful test launches of the D5 missile since 1989, according to a company press release.[7]

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: 7000 miles (11300 km)
  • Maximum speed: 29,030 km/h (18,000 mph)
  • Guidance system: inertial, with celestial reference or GPS guidance
  • CEP: 300-400 ft (90-120 m) (using GPS guidance) or 380 meters using inertial guidance.
  • 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

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".

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.

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. [8] 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.[9]

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.[10] 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 Conservative party.[11]

References

  1. ^ http://www.navy.mil/navydata/fact_display.asp?cid=2200&tid=1400&ct=2
  2. ^ Reagan letter to Thatcher
  3. ^ Lockheed press release April 9, 2007
  4. ^ BBC News Trident decision 'not yet taken'
  5. ^ BBC News UK nuclear weapons plan unveiled
  6. ^ Lockheed press release April 9, 2007
  7. ^ Lockheed Press Release May 16, 2007
  8. ^ *Wood, USA, Sgt. Sara (2006). "Conventional Missile System to Provide Diverse, Rapid Capabilities". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved 2006-04-10.
  9. ^ *Rosenberg, Eric (2006). "Experts warn of an accidental atomic war". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2006-10-09.
  10. ^ Trident plan wins Commons support. BBC News. March 14 2007
  11. ^ Blair wins Trident nuclear arsenal vote. ABC News. March 15, 2007

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Trident missile.


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