Lockheed Martin to upgrade US Trident II missile system
Contract worth $383 million
The US Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin a $383 million contract modification to continue developing the Trident II Strategic Weapons System (SWS) D5 missile.
The contract, a cost-plus-incentive-fee and cost-plus-fixed-fee arrangement, will allow Lockheed Martin to advance the next-generation Trident missile, ensuring America’s sea-based strategic deterrence capability remains robust and credible well into the future.
The contract focuses on designing and producing the Trident II D5 Life Extension 2 (D5LE2) missile. The upgraded missile will be deployed aboard the US Navy’s new Columbia-class submarines, which are set to become the cornerstone of the nation’s nuclear deterrence. The D5LE2 will remain critical to the US and UK’s atomic deterrence strategies, ensuring a credible deterrent force through 2084.
Jerry Mamrol, Vice President of Fleet Ballistic Missiles at Lockheed Martin, said: “The second life extension of the Trident D5 missile will enable the United States and the United Kingdom, through the Polaris Sales Agreement, to maintain credibility in deterring evolving threats. We are proud to continue our critical partnership with the US Navy to take deterrence into this new era.”
The Trident II D5 missile, which Lockheed Martin has developed and enhanced over the years, is regarded as the most advanced ballistic missile in the world. Currently, it is deployed on US OHIO-class submarines and UK Vanguard-class submarines. Lockheed Martin has had a longstanding relationship with the US Navy for 70 years, and the company’s Fleet Ballistic Missiles (FBM) programme plays a vital role in the security of the US and its allies.
Lockheed Martin is also establishing a new, state-of-the-art facility in Titusville, Florida, to support future production. The 225,000-square-foot facility will manufacture components for the D5LE2 missile, creating around 300 highly skilled jobs. The expansion is part of Florida’s broader strategy to invest in aerospace, aviation, and defence industries, fostering economic growth and technological innovation in the region.
The new facility is expected to be operational by 2027. It will ensure that Lockheed Martin can meet the US Navy’s production needs for the next six decades, further solidifying its role in maintaining US and allied military superiority.
Image: Artist rendering of a Trident II D5 Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile. Credit: Lockheed Martin
Last Updated on 1 week by Arnold Pinto
