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Trident I Missile Delivered to Navy Museum For Future Exhibit
Story Number: NNS030909-10
Release Date: 9/9/2003 11:46:00 PM
By Marie Dumontet, Naval Historical Center Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (NNS) -- The Navy Museum has just received an example of a Trident I, C-4, missile, which will be part of a submarine exhibit in the future Cold War annex of the museum.
This new acquisition is actually a Trident I Training Model of Missile (TMOM), an inert example of an operational missile originally used for training purposes at Naval Submarine Base, Kings Bay, Ga.
The Trident I, C-4, was part of a two-phase missile program developed by the Navy. The C-4 was based on an extended-range version of the older Poseidon, and led to the current and more advanced Trident II, D-5.
First deployed in 1979, the Trident I was used on 12 “Lafayette” and the first eight Ohio-class submarines.
Previously, the museum had an older Poseidon missile provided on loan from the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) of the Smithsonian Institution. As the NASM is opening a new museum center at Dulles International Airport, they recently requested its return.
The gaining of the Trident missile was the result of the cooperation between the Naval Historical Center's (NHC) curator branch and the Navy’s Strategic System Program Office (SSP), in Washington, D.C.
After a collaboration of more than two months with the SSP, Frank Thompson, NHC curator, managed to obtain the Trident I for display.
The 34-foot long missile is divided in three sections: the forward section that is 6,110 pounds without nose nor cap; the second stage motor which weighs 17,600 pounds; and the first stage motor, 26,675 pounds. Because of this great weight, two trucks were needed to transport the entire missile to the Washington Navy Yard where it is now being stored.
When eventually put on exhibit, the Trident I, unlike its Poseidon predecessor, will not have to be reported under the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) of 1991. This agreement between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. limited the number of strategic nuclear delivery vehicles both sides could have.
The Poseidon exhibit previously at the Museum was officially reported to the Treaty signatories as a static display, because it did not incorporate the distinguishing feature required of a TMOM.
For a Trident I TMOM, this distinguishing feature is a hole drilled through the aft dome of the first stage motor into the inert material inside the motor. The Museum’s example has this hole, so there is no requirement to notify the START signatories of its location. But museum personnel must always ensure that this hole is not filled, covered or obscured.
“We welcome this unique opportunity to collect a demilitarized Trident I that will help us illustrate the importance of sea-launched ballistic missiles to the submarine force,” said Jennifer Lloyd, Navy Museum assistant curator.
For related news, visit the Naval Historical Center Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/navhist.
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