Two U.S. Navy Trident II D5 Fleet Ballistic Missiles (FBM), built by Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space, Sunnyvale, Calif., were successfully launched in a test conducted last week from the USS Kentucky (SSBN 737) at the Eastern Test Range off the Florida coast.

This test was one in a continuing series of operational evaluation tests conducted by the Navy to monitor the safety, reliability, readiness and performance of the Trident II D5 Strategic Weapon System.

These two missiles represent the 86th and 87th consecutive successful launches of the Trident II D5 Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile and continue the string of successful test launches that began in December 1989. No other large ballistic missile or space launch vehicle in the world has amassed such a remarkable record of mission success.

The Navy selected Lockheed Martin Missiles & Space as its prime missile contractor in 1956. Since then, the FBM team has produced the Polaris (A1), Polaris (A2), Polaris (A3), Poseidon (C3), Trident I (C4) and the Trident II (D5) missile.