Lockheed Martin Space Systems has received a $22.2 million contract for material, labor and support services for the U.S. Navy's Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missile production.

The work will primarily be performed in Sunnyvale, Calf. It is expected to finish by Sep. 30, 2022.

The Trident II D5 is the submarine-launched ballistic missile used by both the U.S. and Great Britain. It has intercontinental range and can carry several nuclear warheads using multiple independent reentry vehicles designed to shower a wide target area, greatly increasing each missiles destructive capabilities.

It forms the sea-based leg of the "triad" for U.S. nuclear forces and is the sole deployed nuclear weapon system in use by Britain. Difficult to detect and destroy, they form an undersea deterrent what would ensure retaliation in the face of an enemy strike against land missile forces.

The Trident II is currently deployed on U.S. Ohio-class and British Vanguard-class submarines. It is planned to be fielded by the future Columbia-class and Dreadnought-class ballistic missile submarines, as well. The Trident is expected to stay in service with upgrades for decades to come.

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N. Korea has produced miniaturized nuke warhead: US media
Washington (AFP) Aug 8, 2017
North Korea has produced a nuclear warhead small enough to fit inside its missiles, US media reported Tuesday, marking a major development sure to further inflame already sky-high tensions. The milestone comes as global alarm continues to mount over the accelerating pace of North Korea's weapons program, with Japan calling recent steps a "new level of threat." The Washington Post cited p ... read more

Related Links
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com

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