Miller-Time Ping!
Posted on 05/16/2007 2:49:00 PM PDT by SmithL
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., May 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The U.S. Navy conducted a successful test launch yesterday, May 15, of two Trident II D5 Fleet Ballistic Missiles (FBMs) built by Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT - News). The Navy launched the unarmed missiles from USS Tennessee (SSBN 734) in the Eastern Range in the Atlantic Ocean.
With this two-missile Follow-on Commander Evaluation Test, the Trident II D5 missile has achieved 119 consecutive successful test launches since 1989 -- a record unmatched by any other large ballistic missile or space launch vehicle. The launches are part of a continuing series of operational system evaluation tests conducted by the Navy to assure the safety, reliability, readiness and performance of the Trident II D5 Strategic Weapon System, as required by the Department of Defense's National Command Authority and conducted under the testing guidelines of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
A new test missile kit design was used for the first time in the test. Produced by Lockheed Martin, the new design uses a combination of custom military and commercial-off-the-shelf components. The kits convert operational missiles into test configurations and contain range safety devices and flight telemetry instrumentation.
"Consistent with every test launch conducted by the Navy's Strategic Systems Programs, this test was important to ensuring the reliability and credibility of the Fleet Ballistic Missile," said Tory Bruno, vice president of Strategic Missile Programs, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. "This test had added significance because the new test missile kits extend the effectiveness of the Navy's rigorous testing program."
First deployed in 1990, the D5 missile is currently aboard 12 Trident II Ohio-class submarines. The three-stage, solid-propellant, inertial-guided ballistic missile can travel a nominal range of 4,000 nautical miles and carries multiple independently targeted reentry vehicles.
Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Sunnyvale, Calif., is the prime contractor and program manager for the U.S. Navy's Trident Missile. Approximately 2,400 Lockheed Martin Space Systems employees, principally in California, Georgia, Florida, Washington and Utah, support the design, development, production, test and operation of the Trident strategic weapon system.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2006 sales of $39.6 billion.
Miller-Time Ping!
I see a number of great targets in Iran.Where the D-5 would be a perfect weapon.
If the Iranians think they can give a nuke the create to their terrorist pals and use it against the U.S. and get away with it they are sorely mistaken.
The President should warn Iran up fron that they will rue the day when one of our cities gets nuked by the toy.
Good to check multiple fires from the sam eship: No telling what little goofy thing might go wrong if never try.
(I’ve always wondered if the dumb things will really if they’re needed for an over-the-pole launch. After all, the F-22 goofed up its nav & piloting system program when they first crossed the international date line. Be funny if the truck bomb the Iranian/Iraqis use explodes, but the missiles we’ve threatened Soviet Union with for years didn’t .....)
Now, about asking them to accept a test firing .... 8<)
Long ago, on an earlier class of submarine, with an older model of Trident, serving a very different Commander-in-Chief, many of us thought that Iran had a great number of targets where our Trident would have been a perfect weapon.
Cool!
Buy ATK stock.....no more than 3% of your portfolio.
Rats. missed it. I guess you have to be looking beachside at just the right moment. Saw a twin launch once not knowing what it was. Instant flashbacks to all those early videos of war launches. The hair on the back of your neck actually does stand up at times like that.
Great, when do we get to “test” it on the Mullahs.....?
I'd hope we could use something rather more tightly targeted at the mullahs themselves.
Brings back memories of the good old days!
Back on the Ustafish, it was 16 empty tubes.
Sweet....
STS(SS/DV) here, as a Handling Supervisor I’ve racked and stacked more than my share of fish *L*. Actually it goes to the whole Sub Force. Aviation is the Top Gun, and the Subforce is the Bottom Gun.
same here, but this is a Trident thread so I’m adaptable
We carried Tridents.
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