Maintaining Strategic Deterrence

CAMBRIDGE, MA – The TRIDENT II Weapons System is the primary strategic deterrent for both the United States and the United Kingdom. The U.S. military plans to continue using the system through 2040 and beyond, and needs to maintain confidence that the missiles maintain their reliability and accuracy.

Draper oversees the effort to upgrade and maintain the Fleet Ballistic Missile MK6 guidance system, which enables the missile to operate with a high degree of accuracy without relying on external aids like GPS signals. The company used a modular, model-based engineering approach in designing the guidance systems, which reduces integration time and allows for early detection of problems prior to expensive prototype testing.

The Navy demonstrated the performance of the life extension electronics packages as part of unarmed test flights launched from the USS Kentucky on November 7 and 9 as part of Demonstration and Shakedown operation (DASO-26) on the Pacific Range. The final planned developmental flight test is scheduled for next summer.

“As the Navy’s strategic guidance prime contractor, Draper has designed and supported the guidance system for every Fleet Ballistic Missile deployed since the program began in 1955. We look forward to continuing to support the Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs organization with this critical mission for decades to come,” said Steven DiTullio, Draper’s vice president for strategic systems.

As Draper designed the guidance system life extension packages demonstrated during these tests, the company incorporated new sensors, electronics and software into the guidance system, while reusing numerous mechanical components of the existing system, resulting in significant cost avoidance. The work took advantage of Draper’s expertise in high-performance guidance technologies, as well as fault detection and identification to ensure that hardware, software and mechanical parts will not malfunction or fail.