Lockheed Martin Secures $647M U.S. Navy Deal To Boost Trident II Missile Production

• The U.S. Navy awards Lockheed Martin a $647 million contract to expand Trident II D5 ballistic missile production.
• The Trident II is the backbone of America’s sea-based nuclear deterrent, carried aboard Ohio- and Columbia-class submarines.
• The latest test launch in the Atlantic reaffirms the missile’s reliability and deterrence role.

The U.S. Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin a $647 million contract to support the production and modernization of UGM-133A Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs). The funding will ensure continued delivery of the system that forms the centerpiece of the U.S. Navy’s nuclear deterrent force.

Backbone of U.S. Nuclear Deterrence

The Trident II D5, first deployed in 1990, remains one of the most reliable and accurate ballistic missiles in service. With a range exceeding 7,000 kilometers and capable of carrying Multiple İndependently Targetable Reentry Vehicles (MIRVs), the missile is deployed aboard the Navy’s Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines and will also equip the next-generation Columbia-class fleet.

The new contract focuses on both extending production and upgrading key components, ensuring the missile remains effective against evolving threats well into the 2040s.

In addition to the new production contract, the Navy recently conducted a successful test launch of a Trident II D5 missile from an Ohio-class submarine in the Atlantic Ocean. The unarmed missile traveled its planned trajectory and impacted in a designated target zone, validating both system performance and crew readiness.

The Navy stressed that such tests are routine and not a response to current geopolitical tensions, but they serve to demonstrate the enduring reliability of the Trident system. The data collected will be used to further refine the missile’s life-extension program.

UGM-133A Trident II D5 SLBM

The UGM-133A Trident II D5 SLBM is known as one of the most important components of the U.S. strategic ballistic missile inventory. Developed in the late Cold War era and entering service in 1990, the system is currently used by both the U.S. Navy and the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy.

Technical Specifications:

• Range: Over 7,000 km, up to 12,000 km depending on warhead configuration
• Weight: ~59 tons
• Length: 13.4 meters
• Diameter: 2.11 meters
• Guidance: Astro-inertial guidance with integrated GPS
• CEP: ~90 meters

The Trident II D5 can carry Multiple Independently Targetable Reentry Vehicles. This allows a single missile to carry multiple nuclear warheads that can be directed to different targets. Each missile can carry 8 to 12 W76 (100 kt) or W88 (475 kt) nuclear warheads. This multiple warhead structure allows the missile to attack different points at the same time and increases its ability to overwhelm air defense systems.

The Trident II D5 forms one of the strongest pillars of U.S. nuclear deterrence. These missiles are carried on Ohio-class SSBNs, and their location on hard-to-detect underwater platforms ensures the U.S. second-strike capability.

Modernization of The Nuclear Triad

The Trump administration plans to increase the production of Columbia-class submarines and modernize the existing Ohio-class submarines. Officials say the goal is to strengthen the U.S. Navy’s nuclear deterrence and maintain technological superiority in undersea warfare.

The administration intends to accelerate the Columbia-class program to replace aging Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines. At the same time, it seeks to upgrade Ohio-class submarines with advanced systems, improved stealth capabilities, and extended operational life.

By expanding production and modernizing its fleet, the U.S. aims to ensure a credible second-strike capability and strengthen its strategic deterrence posture against potential adversaries

The investment comes as the U.S. undertakes a sweeping modernization of its nuclear triad — land-based ICBMs, strategic bombers, and submarine-launched ballistic missiles. The Navy’s submarine force provides the most survivable leg of this triad, capable of remaining undetected at sea and guaranteeing a second-strike capability.

A Navy spokesperson emphasized the importance of the program, noting that the Trident II “continues to provide the United States with an unmatched level of strategic deterrence.”