This document discusses the Trident II D5 ballistic missile and the evolution of US nuclear-powered submarines and their ballistic missiles. It provides statistics on the key ballistic missile systems deployed on US submarines since the early Cold War era, including their range, size, weight and launch platforms. The Trident II D5, in service since 1989, is the largest, heaviest and most advanced, capable of carrying multiple independently targetable warheads. It has achieved over 148 successful test launches as of 2013.
2. Nuclear Powered Submarines
Early Cold War
CNO Arleigh Burke
Polaris A1 Ballistic Missile
3. Stats Polaris A1 Polaris
A2
Polaris
A3
Poseido
n C3
Trident
I C4
Trident II
D5
First
Successful
Launch
20 JUL
1960
23
OCT
1961
26 OCT
1963
3 AUG
1970
1981 FEB 1989
Platform George
Washingto
n Class
Ethan
Allen
Class
Lafayett
e Class
James
Madison
Class
Ohio
Class
Ohio
Class
Range 1380 SM 1730
SM
2880
SM
2880 SM 4600
SM
4600 SM
Length 28 feet 31 feet 32 feet 34 feet 34 feet 44 feet
Diameter 54 inches 54
inches
54
inches
74
inches
74
inches
83
inches
Weight 28,000 lbs 32,500
lbs
35,700
lbs
64,000
lbs
73,000
lbs
130,000
lbs
Missile
Tubes
16 16 16 16 24 24
4. Contract Holder-
Lockheed Martin
Trident capable
platforms
Successful launches
as of 12 SEPT
2013- 148
5. Three Stage Motor
Aerospike
Stellar-Inertial Self
Guidance
MIRV
W76 or W88
Warheads
Nuclear Powered Submarines-
First Nuclear Powered Submarine in the World- USS Nautilus (SSN 571) launched on 21 JAN 1954.
Paved way for submarines to become a strategic deterrence force. (No longer had to surface for air to fuel diesel engines)
Early Cold War-
Air Force consistently took nearly half of the Defense budget for use in Nuclear Bombs and Bombers
Other branches of military bled dry of funds.
Air force becomes dominate force of US Military
CNO Arleigh Burke
Spearheaded the idea for Submarines to be next nuclear missile platform
Appoints ADM Raborn and ADM Rickover to begin project of Polaris A1 Nuclear Missile (1956)
Goal Completion Year- 1965
Polaris A1 Ballistic Missile
Polaris launches successfully from a SSBN on 20 July 1960 (5 Years before designated completion date)
Range improves from 1380 SM to 4600 SM. That means you could park an SSBN in New York Harbor and play a game of catch with Vladamir Putin over in Moscow!
Trident II is over four times the weight of a Polaris A1.
United States Ohio Class SSBNs 24 Missile Tubes
Royal Navy Vanguard Class SSBNS 16 Missile Tubes
2058 Nuclear Tests Since Little Boy in WWII
First Stage- Expanding gas pressure in launch tube allows trident to enter Boost Stage above water. Solid Propellant
Second Stage- Midcourse Stage. Solid Propellant
Third Stage- Terminal Stage. Solid Propellant
Aerospike- Reduces frontal drag by 50%. Point at front penetrates shock wave at front of missile during supersonic flight.
Stellar- Guidance off of preloaded data of the stars
Inertial- Use of Accelerometers to measure changes in the velocity of the system. Use of Gyroscopes to provide fixed reference directions
MIRV- Multiple Independently Targeted Reentry Vehicle. Trident is capable of holding 8 warheads. 192 possible warheads per single SSBN.
Limited to only 4 warheads per missile by the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty
W88 Warhead- 475 Kiloton yield.
We’ve already learned about Fission and Fusion Reactions in class
Fire Ball Radius- Incinerates everything in half mile radius
Air Blast- Residential buildings collapse, injuries universal, fatalities widespread
Thermal Radiation- Third degree burns through several layers of skin.
Strategic Deterrence- Arguably the most important mission of the US Navy. Without Nuclear missiles we leave ourselves defenseless against nuclear missles
