Technical Applications Programs

Abstract

Project 2228 consists of D5 Life Extension 2 (D5LE2) and Systems Engineering Modeling and Simulation, which completed in FY2023. Trident II D5 Modernization (D5LE2): The Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) is the most survivable leg of the triad and foundational to the nation's deterrence strategy. The heart of the SLBM capability is the D5LE Strategic Weapon System (SWS) currently hosted aboard the OHIO platform throughout its remaining service life. D5LE is planned to be the initial SWS on the COLUMBIA platform but cannot support the platform throughout its predicted service life (through 2084) due to age, attrition, and obsolescence of critical components within the system. Aging components (such as flight electronics and guidance) fall below requirements as early as the late 2030s and non-aging components are reduced by flight tests and spares consumption and fall below requirements shortly thereafter. As the D5LE missile inventory cannot be extended further, the D5LE SWS will require a significant modernization - D5LE2 - which is required to provide the missile inventory for the COLUMBIA SLBM. The nation's Strategic Systems must be more adaptable and resilient in the face of two peer adversaries who are increasingly showing the ability to quickly, deploy offensive and defensive capabilities that threaten the effectiveness of the existing strategic deterrent. SSP plans to design the D5LE2 SWS with this adaptability and resiliency to meet established STRATCOM requirements for the life of the COLUMBIA Class. The D5LE2 strategic weapon system modernization will address the COLUMBIA Class service life requirement by delivering the range and accuracy of the current system and address the threat peer adversaries' improving capabilities by providing a credible, adaptable and survivable strategic deterrent. D5LE2 is a modernization of the D5LE SWS. SSP is required make significant changes within the SWS Architecture, Avionics, Guidance Instrumentation, Flight Structures and Post Boost Controls to address program obsolescence and requirements. Other major components within the SWS such as large rockets motors and existing energetics will be pull thru due to the existence of a viable supplier base coupled with adequate technical performance for the future. Since D5LE2 is a modernization requirement, it has been determined to be a subprogram to the original Trident II D5 program with the Assistant Secretary of the Navy, for Research Development & Acquisition (ASN RDA) continuing as the Milestone Decision Authority (MDA). Greater details of the acquisition strategy are covered in section D of this document including SSP's recent initiative to rename the previously defined SWS design milestones. To clarify the definition of design Milestones on top level schedules, SSP has renamed the previously defined SWS design milestones (System Requirements Review (SRR), Preliminary Design Review (PDR) and Critical Design Review (CDR)) to Subsystem Redesign Sufficiency Assessment (SRSA-1, SRSA-2 and SRSA-3) with the exact same technical content as the previously defined reviews. Efforts covered within this exhibit will address modernization of the SWS Architecture and critical technology development in the areas of Strategic Radiation Hardened Electronic parts for Flight Avionics, Strategic grade Guidance Instrumentation, Post Boost Control and Structures due to the low Technology Readiness Level (TRL) and Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) in industry. A successful D5LE2 vision requires SSP to incorporate a modular architecture that will enable Trident II to unlock the capabilities of modern and future technologies. D5LE2's schedule is directly analogous to the previous life extension's (D5LE) executed schedule which began concept studies in the late 1990s, began design in 2004, completed design in 2011, and deployed in 2017. D5LE2 encompasses significantly more scope than D5LE on a similar timeline. Funding is required in the pre-SPALT (Strategic Systems Programs Alterations) development phase of the program to mature enabling technologies for D5LE2 in anticipation of long lead material procurements starting in 2030; therefore, significant technology investments must be continued in 2024 to support execution of the program of record. To ensure that key technologies have reached appropriate maturation and been tested in a relevant environment prior to the SRSA-2 (formerly PDR) in FY 2028, funding to improve TRL and MRL by commodity is phased according to complexity and need. D5LE2 is focused on maturation of critical technologies required to modernize the Navy's SWS. The technology investments are architecture agnostic (i.e. they must be developed regardless of the design of the architecture) and represent the fundamental building blocks for the SWS. The ability to rapidly mature these technologies represents the single greatest risk mitigation to the program. D5LE2 strategic modernization efforts will focus on critical technologies such as: - Post Boost Control System (PBCS) Technologies utilizing high refractory metal - Next Generation Low - Size Weight and Power (SWaP) Guidance Inertial Instruments and Components - Strategic Radiation Hardened Electronics - Modernized Structural Components (e.g. Nose Fairing and Equipment Section) D5LE2 Technology Development targets replacements for legacy D5 and D5LE technologies now obsolete with manufacturing lines shutdown that are required regardless of architecture chosen (e.g. radiation hardened parts) and/or have long lead maturity and development timelines. Technology advancements and improved system architecture concepts will unlock existing system capability, and add adaptability, manufacturability, SWS operations, and sustainability - while at the same time reconstituting an industrial base that has not performed SLBM development for decades. In order to support STRATCOM requirements without gapping capability, in FY 2020 D5LE2 began critical architecture agnostic technology maturation efforts on key strategic technologies and studies to explore potential modern System Level Architectures. FY 2020 efforts have focused on filling requirements voids in the areas of threat effectiveness, cyber vulnerabilities, evaluating the SWS contribution to platform survivability, developing the military utility curves by which concepts will be evaluated and limited technology development on certain key technologies. Efforts also focused on limited technology development on certain key technologies. FY 2021 concluded with preliminary architecture concepts that enabled key architecture decisions in FY 2022, followed by performance allocations to requirements in FY 2023. The program also funded efforts for advanced technology development and maturation of critical SWS D5LE2 components in the areas of high refractory metal PBCS Valve Assemblies, alternative batteries, nuclear safe out-of-line blocking elements, large Missile Structures, and RADHARD parts & shielding. Additionally, efforts funded included Strategic Guidance activities to include the development of technologies and components for strategic sensors to support the next generation of inertial sensors, instruments, rotary components and high performance processing electronics to address the need for advanced sensor data processing and low SWaP modular solutions. FY 2023 plans continued critical D5LE2 efforts in the area of Systems Studies for Performance Allocations, Requirements and Architecture, SLBM technology investment and maturation efforts and Strategic Guidance efforts - all of which are based on historical timelines and execution for developing new technologies in this challenging environment to support the proposed D5LE2 and COLUMBIA class schedules. FY 2023 System Studies and Architecture Development efforts included continuing and completing prior year studies and architecture decisions. FY 2023 SLBM technologies concentrated on development of a Strategic Common Parts Database Common Parts ID, Radiation Hardened Parts Testing start, Part characterization, Battery Small Scale Tests, Data Bus CONOPS and development, Additive Manufacturing Surveys, PBCS Thruster Valve cold gas tests, and Nose Fairing Element level tests. FY 2023 Strategic Guidance efforts included Algorithm simulation, fabrication and prototyping of viable candidates. FY 2024 plans continue critical D5LE2 efforts in the area of Systems Studies for Performance Allocations, Requirements and Architecture, and SLBM technology investment and maturation efforts and Strategic Guidance efforts. -FY 2024 SLBM technology investment areas will continue the maturation of the Common Parts Database, Flight System Batteries, Development of Radiation Hardened Test Capability, Maturation of a Nuclear Safe Data Bus, continued evaluation of Additive Manufacturing for high reliability space applications, continued maturation of Post Boost Control System (PBCS), Nose Faring, and Equipment Section Designs. -FY 2024 Strategic Guidance efforts encompass Radiation Hardened Parts Concepts Evaluation to include candidate vendor allocations and technology down select fabrication, accelerometers, gyroscopes, stellar components, high fidelity lab/simulation testing, and mechanical packaging studies, Low Space Weight and Power solid state inertial sensor prototyping, Advanced imaging technology prototyping, Inertial Measurement Unit electro-mechanical component prototyping, Prototype Avionics developmental testing, Guidance Navigation and Control Software and Algorithm Studies, and Inertial Measurement Unit single axis testing and evaluation. -FY 2024 System Level Studies and Architecture Development efforts culminate in an iterative update to the D5LE2 concept baseline to conduct a System Studies Concept Review (SCR), generating a sufficiently refined system architecture and requirements to support a System Readiness Review (SRR) in FY 2025. The FY 2025 SRR supports developing modernized commodities, requalifying pull-through commodities, iterative model maturation, integration, and ground testing with the first flight test in FY 2033. Completion of first flight test will lead to early production to support the loadout of an entire boat with qualified missiles in FY 2039. -FY 2025 System Level Studies and Architecture Development efforts culminate in the SRR, now renamed Subsystem Redesign Sufficiency Assessment (SRSA-1) in FY 2025. FY 2025 System efforts will include preparations, conduct, and closeout of SRSA-1. Preparations include final deliveries of the data products to be baselined at SRSA-1, to include requirements specifications, descriptive system model, system architectures, technical management processes and plans, integration plans, verification and validation plans, cybersecurity plans, system surety plans, program protection plans, lifecycle management plans, and executability statements. -The FY 2025 SRSA-1 supports developing modernized commodities, requalifying pull-through commodities, iterative model maturation, integration, and ground testing with the first flight test in FY 2033. Completion of first flight test will lead to an Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) decision is FY 2034 to support the loadout of an entire boat with qualified missiles in FY 2039. -FY 2025 SLBM technology investment areas will continue the maturation of the Common Parts Database with parts characterization testing of prototype parts, Continue Development of Radiation Hardened Test Capability, Maturation of a Nuclear Safe Data Bus with testing, continued evaluation of Additive Manufacturing for high reliability applications, continued maturation of Post Boost Control System (PBCS) technologies with hot gas testing, Nose Faring Material Evaluations and Equipment Section large scale testing. -FY 2025 Strategic Guidance efforts encompass Radiation Hardened Parts Concepts Evaluation to include candidate vendor allocations and technology down select fabrication, accelerometers, gyroscopes, stellar components, high fidelity lab/simulation testing, and mechanical packaging studies, Low Space Weight and Power solid state inertial sensor prototyping, Advanced imaging technology prototyping, Inertial Measurement Unit electro-mechanical component prototyping, Prototype Avionics developmental testing, Guidance Navigation and Control Software and Algorithm Studies, and Inertial Measurement Unit single axis testing and evaluation. Targeting achieving TRL4 for key critical components. Systems Engineering Modeling and Simulation: FY 2023 was the final year of development for the Systems Engineering Modeling and Simulation effort. The Systems Engineering Modeling and Simulation capability consisted of three elements: Model Based Design, SWS Integrated Modeling and Simulation/Common Architecture & Framework, and SWS Enhancement Ground Test. This effort provided the capability to comprehensively evaluate and test the integrated SWS within representative operational environments, providing unprecedented visibility across the SWS and system performance characterization equivalent to flight testing. This capability enabled trade space analysis to identify technical margin, subsystem interactions, and lifecycle affordability opportunities to include other services and to identify the benefits and risks of commonality to the individual programs, requirements and CONOPs modifications that could facilitate commonality, potential common acquisition strategies between the services, and total life cycle cost implications.

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Document Type: Project
Publication Date: Oct 01, 2025
Source ID: 2228_0101221N_7_1319_PB_2025

Technical Applications Programs

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