The Fleet Ballistic Missile — One Trident II D5 Life Extension was successfully launched on 27 September by Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Navy off the coast of California. The Navy also conducted Demonstration and Shakedown Operation-32 (popularly referred to as DASO-32). The operation involved launching from the Pacific Ocean an unarmed missile.
The most trustworthy test record for a huge ballistic missile, DASO-32, raised the Trident II D5 record to a whopping 191 fully successful test launches since its design completion back in 1989.
Test complete
An unarmed Trident II D5LE missile launches from the USS Louisiana (SSBN 743), marking a successful Demonstration and Shakedown Operation-32 (DASO-32) off the coast of San Diego on Wednesday.
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— U.S. Navy (@USNavy) September 29, 2023
The test was conducted by the Navy sub-Louisiana (SSBN 743) to reflect that the crew members and strategic weapon systems were ready and also certified the crew for a strategic patrol. This DASO event permits gathering information regarding the performance of the D5 Life Extension missile with the help of a test missile kit made by Lockheed Martin. The incident marks the last strategized DASO caused by an engineer-oriented refuelling overhaul from a submarine belonging to the OHIO class.
The Lockheed Martin-built and upgraded D5 missile is now on British VANGUARD-class and American OHIO-class submarines. The three-stage, inertial guided, and solid-propellant ballistic missile carries numerous individually targeted reentry vehicles and has the capability to travel 4,000 nautical miles.
The initial fleet introduction of the D5LE in 2017 was accomplished by the collaborative government-industry team. The Life Extension program updated the advanced submarine-initiated ballistic missile while keeping the D5 missile’s already tested performance for a lot less money than it would have cost to create a brand-new missile.
References: Space War, Manufacturing Business Technology
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Source: Maritime Shipping News