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Ballistic Trident

Short answer: The Trident II D5 is a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) built by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Navy.

It has three solid-propellant stages and inertial guidance. It is 44 ft (13.41 m) long and weighs about 130,000 lb (58,500 kg). The Navy lists its range as 4,000 nautical miles (about 7,360 km), and other sources note that range depends on payload. It can carry several independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs). The missile was first deployed in 1990. Expanding gas pushes it out of the launch tube, and the rocket motors fire once it breaks the surface. Under U.S. Navy listings, each Ohio-class submarine carries 20 D5 missiles and each British Vanguard-class submarine carries 16. The United Kingdom didn't co-develop the missile. It agreed in 1982 to buy Trident II under the Polaris Sales Agreement. According to the UK Parliament, Britain has title to 58 missiles, held in a shared pool with U.S. missiles at Kings Bay, Georgia, while the UK makes its own warheads. A life-extended version (D5LE) joined the fleet in 2017 and is set to arm the next U.S. Columbia-class and UK Dreadnought-class submarines.

VideoWrite-up4 sources

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What should you know about Ballistic Trident?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. Trident II D5 was first deployed in 1990.

    DD-627-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit A (Who built it)

  2. The UK draws its Trident missiles from a shared pool in Georgia.

    DD-627-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit D (Britain's share)

Video transcript: Ballistic Trident: Launched From Under the Sea

DID YOU KNOW The Trident II D5 is a submarine launch ballistic missile, or SLBM, developed by the US and the UK as a key part of their nuclear deterrent forces. It features three solid fuel stages, an operational range exceeding 7,400 km, and can carry multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles with nuclear warheads. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 20.2s Reel ·

Video coming soonBallistic Trident · Instagram Reel
Ballistic Trident: Launched From Under the Sea Instagram Reel · · 20.2s

The write-up

Launched from under the sea. Trident II D5 arms US and British missile submarines.

  1. Exhibit A

    Who built it

    Lockheed Martin built the D5 for the U.S. Navy. It was first deployed in 1990.

  2. Exhibit B

    The basics

    Three solid-fuel stages, inertial guidance, 44 ft long, and a listed range of 4,000 nautical miles.

  3. Exhibit C

    Out of the water

    Gas pressure pushes the missile out of its tube, and the first-stage motor fires after it breaks the surface.

  4. Exhibit D

    Britain's share

    The UK bought Trident II under a 1982 deal and draws from a shared pool at Kings Bay, Georgia, while fitting its own warheads.

  5. Exhibit E

    Still serving

    Life-extended D5LE missiles entered the fleet in 2017 and are planned for the next U.S. and UK submarines.

Questions people ask about Ballistic Trident

Who is the prime contractor for Trident II D5?

Lockheed Martin builds it for the U.S. Navy.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Who built it) · U.S. Navy fact file: Trident II (D5) Missile; Lockheed Martin (Oct 21, 2009): Trident II D5 achieves record 129 successful test flights in a row

When was the D5 first deployed?

1990.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Who built it) · U.S. Navy fact file: Trident II (D5) Missile; Lockheed Martin (Oct 21, 2009): Trident II D5 achieves record 129 successful test flights in a row

How many stages does it have?

Three solid-propellant stages.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (The basics) · U.S. Navy fact file: Trident II (D5) Missile

What pushes the missile out of its launch tube?

Motors fire after it broaches the surface.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Out of the water) · U.S. Navy fact file: Trident II (D5) Missile

Where is the shared US-UK missile pool?

Strategic Weapons Facility, Kings Bay.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Britain's share) · UK House of Commons Library: Replacing the UK's 'Trident' nuclear deterrent; Federation of American Scientists: United Kingdom nuclear forces, Trident D5

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. Who is the prime contractor for Trident II D5?

    1. Lockheed Martin
    2. Boeing
    3. BAE Systems
    4. Raytheon
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Lockheed Martin Lockheed Martin builds it for the U.S. Navy. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Who built it) · U.S. Navy fact file: Trident II (D5) Missile; Lockheed Martin (Oct 21, 2009): Trident II D5 achieves record 129 successful test flights in a row

  2. When was the D5 first deployed?

    1. 1990
    2. 1965
    3. 1978
    4. 2005
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. 1990 1990. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Who built it) · U.S. Navy fact file: Trident II (D5) Missile; Lockheed Martin (Oct 21, 2009): Trident II D5 achieves record 129 successful test flights in a row

  3. How many stages does it have?

    1. Three
    2. One
    3. Two
    4. Five
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Three Three solid-propellant stages. Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (The basics) · U.S. Navy fact file: Trident II (D5) Missile

  4. What pushes the missile out of its launch tube?

    1. Expanding gas
    2. Its first-stage motor
    3. A catapult arm
    4. Seawater pumps
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Expanding gas Motors fire after it broaches the surface. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Out of the water) · U.S. Navy fact file: Trident II (D5) Missile

  5. Where is the shared US-UK missile pool?

    1. Kings Bay, Georgia
    2. Faslane, Scotland
    3. Norfolk, Virginia
    4. Pearl Harbor, Hawaii
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Kings Bay, Georgia Strategic Weapons Facility, Kings Bay. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Britain's share) · UK House of Commons Library: Replacing the UK's 'Trident' nuclear deterrent; Federation of American Scientists: United Kingdom nuclear forces, Trident D5

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Ballistic Trident." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-627, last updated Jul 30, 2025. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/ballistic-trident/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/ballistic-trident/ · Last updated

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