Lockheed Martin Space has been awarded a $647-million contract modification to sustain and continue production of the Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) for the US Navy. The hybrid agreement combines fixed-price incentive and cost-plus provisions, covering missile production, deployed system sustainment, and support services. The award also extends to a foreign military sale to the United Kingdom, which operates the D5 aboard its Vanguard-class submarines.
The Trident II D5 has served as the backbone of the US and UK’s sea-based nuclear deterrent since its introduction in 1990. The missile can carry multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs) and has a range of over 7,000 kilometers (4,300 miles). Known for its high accuracy, the D5 has undergone continuous upgrades to its guidance, propulsion, and reentry systems. Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor since the system’s inception, will carry out work at several US sites, with Utah accounting for 23 percent of the workload.
The Pentagon has already obligated $120 million from the fiscal 2025 Navy weapons procurement budget, with the overall contract expected to conclude by September 30, 2030. Additional contract options could increase the deal’s total value to $745 million. The award was issued on a sole-source basis, given Lockheed Martin’s exclusive expertise in producing and sustaining the system.
The Trident II remains central to long-term US and UK deterrence strategies. The US Navy plans to keep the missile operational through the 2040s, aligned with the introduction of the Columbia-class submarines, while the UK will integrate the system into its upcoming Dreadnought-class boats. With over 190 successful test launches, the D5 continues to demonstrate reliability. Its longevity highlights both nations’ preference for modernizing existing strategic systems through incremental upgrades rather than fielding an entirely new platform, reinforcing NATO’s nuclear burden-sharing and US-UK defense cooperation.
