United States Lockheed Martin
UGM-133A Trident II D5
US/UK submarine-launched ballistic missile forming the sea leg of the nuclear triad, deployed on Ohio-class and Vanguard-class SSBNs since 1990.
In service since 1990 · 2 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-03
Pricing: The Congressional Budget Office costed the missile at about USD 30.9 million each in fiscal-1987 dollars across a planned 844-missile buy. No current per-missile price is published.
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
US ITAR-controlled
Export needs U.S. State Dept (DDTC) approval; end-use & re-transfer restrictions apply.
Channel: Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or Direct Commercial Sale
Fielded & proven
Limited · 2 operators
In service since 1990. Status: active.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
No standardised NATO calibre / datalink detected in public specs.
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Overview
The Trident II D5 is carried by both US Ohio-class and UK Vanguard-class ballistic-missile submarines, providing the survivable sea-based leg of allied nuclear deterrence.
Full specifications
Performance
Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.
| Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance. | 29,016 km/h |
|---|---|
| Max speed (Mach) Maximum speed as a multiple of the speed of sound. Mach 2+ is typical for air-superiority fighters. | 23.7 Mach |
| Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence. | 12,000 km |
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| Weapons payload Maximum ordnance weight the platform can carry. Higher means more strike capacity per sortie. | 2,800 kg |
|---|---|
| Warhead type Blast-fragmentation, shaped charge (HEAT), penetrator, thermobaric or nuclear-capable. | up to 8-12 MIRV (W76/W88) |
| Guidance How the weapon finds its target: inertial, GPS/GLONASS, active/semi-active radar, infrared, laser, TV, wire. | MK 6 astro-inertial guidance |
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 13.58 m |
|---|---|
| Width Overall width, matters for rail/road transport of vehicles. | 2.11 m |
| Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor. | 58,967 kg |
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | 3-stage solid |
|---|
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 2 |
|---|
Specifications compiled from public Lockheed Martin and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-03.
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Head-to-head comparisons
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Frequently asked questions
What is the top speed of the Lockheed Martin UGM-133A Trident II D5? +
The Lockheed Martin UGM-133A Trident II D5 has a maximum speed of 29,016 km/h.
What is the range of the Lockheed Martin UGM-133A Trident II D5? +
The Lockheed Martin UGM-133A Trident II D5 has a maximum range of 12,000 km.
What is the weapons payload of the Lockheed Martin UGM-133A Trident II D5? +
The Lockheed Martin UGM-133A Trident II D5 can carry up to 2,800 kg of weapons payload.
How much does the Lockheed Martin UGM-133A Trident II D5 weigh? +
The Lockheed Martin UGM-133A Trident II D5 has a combat weight of 58,967 kg.
How many countries operate the Lockheed Martin UGM-133A Trident II D5? +
The Lockheed Martin UGM-133A Trident II D5 is operated by 2 countries.
How much does the Lockheed Martin UGM-133A Trident II D5 cost? +
Lockheed Martin UGM-133A Trident II D5: The Congressional Budget Office costed the missile at about USD 30.9 million each in fiscal-1987 dollars across a planned 844-missile buy. No current per-missile price is published.. Defense program costs are rarely fully public and vary by contract and configuration.
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