The Lockheed Martin Corp., Rotary and Mission Systems, Mitchel Field, New York, is awarded a $191,183,328 firm-fixed-price contract for the U.S. and United Kingdom to provide strategic weapon system Trident SSI Increment 8 production of inertial navigation systems and associated inertial spares for the Ohio and Columbia ballistic missile submarine shallow water submersible platforms for the fleet ballistic missile program. Work expected completion date of Feb. 28, 2028. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
The UGM-133A Trident II, or Trident D5 is a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), built by Lockheed Martin Space in Sunnyvale, California, and deployed with the American and British navies. It was first deployed in March 1990, and remains in service. The Trident II Strategic Weapons System is an improved SLBM with greater accuracy, payload, and range than the earlier Trident C-4. It is a key element of the U.S. strategic nuclear triad and strengthens U.S. strategic deterrence. The Trident II is considered to be a durable sea-based system capable of engaging many targets.
Trident II missiles are carried by 14 US Ohio and four British Vanguard-class submarines, with 24 missiles on each Ohio class and 16 missiles on each Vanguard class (the number of missiles on Ohio-class submarines will be reduced to 20 each starting in 2023, in compliance with the New Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty). There have been 177 successful test flights of the D5 missile since design completion in 1989,[21] the most recent being from USS Maine (SSBN-741) in February 2020. The Trident D5LE (life-extension) version will remain in service until 2042.
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, the Navy’s Trident missile prime contractor, developed and produced the missile and support equipment. The company also supplies technical and logistical support at sites where the missiles are deployed. The Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) team continues to build on a remarkable mission success track record. The Trident II D5 missile has achieved 167 successful test launches since design completion in 1989 — a record unmatched by any other large ballistic missile or space launch vehicle.
