The Navy has conducted flight tests of two Trident II D-5 missiles from an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine, U.S. Strategic Command said Tuesday.
The D-5s are designed to carry multiple nuclear warheads as part of the country’s sea-based nuclear deterrent mission.
“Strategic weapons tests such as these are a visible demonstration for assuring our allies and deterring our adversaries that our nation’s strategic triad is safe, secure and effective,” Adm. Cecil Haney, chief of U.S. Strategic Command, said.
Strategic Command said the Feb. 22 tests in the Pacific Ocean were carried out under operationally representative conditions to get a valid performance assessment by the Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs unit.
The tests marked the 155th successful flights of the D-5 missiles, which are undergoing a life extension program designed to keep them in service until 2040.
The three-stage missiles have a range of 4,000 miles.