WASHINGTON, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. ballistic missile submarine has tested four life-extended Trident II D5 missiles to validate their performance, the U.S. Navy said in a statement on Friday.
Two tests were conducted by U.S.S. Nebraska on Wednesday and Friday respectively off the coast of Southern California, the statement said, adding all tests occurred before sunrise.
The primary goal of the tests were "to validate performance expectations of the life-extended Trident II strategic weapon system," the statement said.
The Trident II strategic weapon system, originally designed with a life span to 2024, recently underwent a life extension that will keep it operational through the late 2040s. The life-extended missiles will serve for the remaining service life of U.S Ohio-class and United Kingdom Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines, and as the initial loadout for the U.S. Columbia-class and U.K. Dreadnought-class ballistic missile submarines.
The U.S.S. Nebraska is an Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine.
Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles are one leg of the U.S. strategic nuclear deterrent triad.
