U.S. Navy conducted successful test flights of two Trident II D5 Fleet Ballistic Missiles built by Lockheed Martin on Nov. 7 and 9. T...
U.S. Navy conducted successful test flights of two Trident II D5 Fleet Ballistic Missiles built by Lockheed Martin on Nov. 7 and 9.
The world's most reliable large ballistic missile, the D5 missile has achieved a total of 157 successful test flights since design completion in 1989.
The D5 is the sixth in a series of missile generations deployed since the sea-based deterrent program began 60 years ago.
The Navy launched the unarmed missiles in the Pacific Ocean from a submerged Ohio-class submarine. The missiles were converted into test configurations using kits produced by Lockheed Martin that contain range safety devices and flight telemetry instrumentation.
The test flights were part of a demonstration and shakedown operation, which the Navy uses to certify a submarine for deployment following an overhaul.
These two missile flights formally qualify the new flight control and interlocks electronics packages for deployment in 2017. The modernized avionics subsystems, which control key missile functions during flight, enable missile life extension through 2042.
The company also is transitioning to designing components in a digital environment and using 3-D printing to efficiently produce prototypes.
The Trident II D5 missile is deployed aboard U.S. Navy Ohio-class and U.K. Royal Navy Vanguard-class submarines to deter nuclear aggression. The three-stage ballistic missile can travel a nominal range of 4,000 nautical miles and carry multiple independently targeted reentry bodies.
