Lockheed to Research Technologies, Aging Models for Trident Missiles
Carried on SSBN-726 Ohio Class submarines, The Trident II D-5 is the US Navy’s submarine launched nuclear missile, with exceptional range for a sea-launched weapon and accuracy figures that rival or even exceed land-based ICBMs. These missiles are arguably the most important and effective component of the US nuclear deterrent, and they constitute Britain’s entire nuclear deterrent as well. They were first deployed in 1990, and are planned for continuous deployment to 2042. DID has covered the ongoing modernization and refurbishment efforts that will be required in order to meet this goal.
As part of those efforts, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space Co. in Sunnyvale, CA just received a $61.4 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract. They’ll investigate, demonstrate, and validate emerging technologies suitable for the unique current and future requirements of fleet ballistic missile (FBM) boost motors, post boost control systems (PBCS), thrust vector controls (TVC), and ordnance and flight termination systems. This effort shall identify and maintain the critical skills and tools necessary to address development needs, and improve the current predictive aging models/techniques used to assess their viability when deployed beyond their original design life. Lockheed will also investigate what would be required to produce alternatives to some of the existing 1980s-era components, and integrate them into the Trident fleet.
Work will be performed in Sunnyvale, CA and is expected to be complete by December 2008. This contract was not competitively procured by the Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs, Arlington, Va., is the contracting activity (N00030-06-C-0030).
