US Navy Searching To Improve Trident II's Accuracy

Draper Lab to help enhance accuracy and power of Navy’s submarine-launched nuclear missiles- By John Keller

U.S. submarine-launched atomic missiles are becoming even more accurate and deadly as U.S. Navy leaders continue a program to fine-tune the accuracy of the Navy’s Trident II D5 nuclear missiles that are designed for launch from Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines.

Officials of the Navy Strategic Systems Program office in Washington announced a potential $302.4 million contract Monday to the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Inc. in Cambridge, Mass., to continue work on the Trident D5 MK 6 Guidance System Repair Program.

Navy officials are asking Draper Lab to handle failure verification, test, repair, and recertification of the Trident missile’s inertial measurement units (IMUs), electronics assemblies, and electronic modules as part of the Trident missile’s MK 6 guidance system repair program.

The Trident II is the primary weapon aboard Navy Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines. The missile has a range of more than 7,000 miles and carries four independently targeted 475-kiloton nuclear warheads. (…)