Currently the Trident II is the main nuclear deterrent in the USN. It is the 6th generation of ballistic missiles to serve in the navy. Development of the missile began in 1971 as a longer range version of the Trident I. This is accomplished by the casing of the 3 stages being made of the graphite epoxy material allowing for a lighter weight for the overall missile. The missile stayed in development and testing until the late 1980's until it finally entered active service in the USN. Initially 18 submarines were fitted with the missile system but as of 1996 a further 8 submarines were back fitted to carry Trident II. Currently improvements are in the works to improve the performance and life of the missile for the foreseeable future.
Specifications
Power Plant: Three-stage solid-propellant rocket
1st and 2nd stage burn times are 65 seconds each
3rd stage burn time is 40 seconds
Length: 44 feet (13.41 meters)
Weight: 130,000 pounds (58,500 kg)
Diameter: 74 inches (1.85 meters)
Range: 6,000nm (6,900mi; 11,000km)
Greater than 4,000 nautical miles (4,600 statute miles, or 7,360 km)
Guidance System: Inertial
Warheads: Thermonuclear MIRV (Multiple Independently Targetable re-entry Vehicle)
8 W88 300-475 kiloton MIRVs in a solid-fuel Mk 5 PBV
download to 5 RVs planned under START 2
Circular Error Probable (CEP) reportedly as low as 0.07 NM (120 m)
Date Deployed: 1990
Sources, GlobalSecurity.com & FAS.org
"It was a perfect attack, Right Height, Right Range, Right cloud cover, Right speed,
Wrong f@%king ship!" Commander Stewart-Moore (HMS Ark Royal)
