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Lockheed Martin obtains another Trident contract modification

15th March 2021 - 14:24 GMT | by Shephard News Team

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Once again, funds for UK strategic nuclear deterrent are included in DoD contract modification, announced shortly before release of first part of Integrated Review.

Lockheed Martin Space has received a $558.84 million sole-source modification from the USN Strategic Systems Programs office, to exercise options for Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) production and deployed systems support.

Work will be performed at multiple US locations for completion by 30 September 2026, the DoD announced on 12 March.

The contract includes $73.75 million in UK funds from the DoD budget. This may add substance to media speculation that the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy — the first part of which will be published by the UK government on 16 March — will set the UK on the path towards increasing the number of nuclear SLBMs in its arsenal.

Other recent Trident contract modifications from the DoD (in December 2020 and 1 March this year, for instance) also earmarked funding for the UK nuclear deterrent.

Trident II D5 missiles are designed to be launched from USN Ohio-class and future Columbia-class submarines, as well as from UK Royal Navy Vanguard-class boats.

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