UGM-133 Trident II

X-Bow Systems Announces Two New Advisory Board Members

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Wednesday, October 26, 2022
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M., Oct. 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- X-Bow Systems Inc. (X-Bow), a new non-traditional small business supplier of Solid Rocket Motors (SRMs) and defense technologies, announced today that Vice Admiral Terry Benedict, U.S. Navy (ret.), executive vice president for Naval, Nuclear, and Critical Infrastructure Programs at Systems Planning and Analysis (SPA), Inc. and U.S. Air Force Colonel (ret.) Charlie Precourt, former vice president and general manager for Propulsion Systems at Northrop Grumman have joined X-Bow's Strategic Advisory Board.

Key Points: 
  • ), executive vice president for Naval, Nuclear, and Critical Infrastructure Programs at Systems Planning and Analysis (SPA), Inc. and U.S. Air Force Colonel (ret.)
  • Charlie Precourt, former vice president and general manager for Propulsion Systems at Northrop Grumman have joined X-Bow's Strategic Advisory Board.
  • He was associated with theNavy'sStrategic Systems Programs for 30 years, where he held 10 different positions, ultimately serving as director for eight years (2010-2018).
  • "We are honored and excited to haveboth Terry Benedictand Charlie Precourt as part of the X-Bow strategic advisory board," said Jason Hundley, CEO.

Former Strategic Systems Program Chief Engineer Steve Landau Joins Systems Planning and Analysis

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Tuesday, February 22, 2022
Trident, Program management, System, Policy, Radar, SSL (company), Compliance, SPA, Intelligence, Hypersonic speed, National, National security, Common, Security, United Kingdom, Safety, SSP, Navy, Senior, Multimedia, United, System Planning Corporation, Orbiter Boom Sensor System, Systems engineering, A-235 anti-ballistic missile system, Intelligence community, UGM-133 Trident II, Senior Executive Service (United States), Engineering, History, CEO, Program, Department, Defense industrial base, Bottled water, Management

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Feb. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --Systems Planning and Analysis, (SPA) Inc., is pleased to announce that Steve Landau has joined the company as Chief Engineer and Director for Naval Undersea Systems.

Key Points: 
  • ALEXANDRIA, Va., Feb. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --Systems Planning and Analysis, (SPA) Inc., is pleased to announce that Steve Landau has joined the company as Chief Engineer and Director for Naval Undersea Systems.
  • In addition, Mr. Landau was responsible for program execution under the United StatesUnited Kingdom Polaris Sales Agreement.
  • Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. is a premier international provider of innovative and leading-edge solutions in support of complex National Security programs and defense priorities.
  • View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/former-strategic-systems-progra...
    SOURCE Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc.

SPA Awarded Strategic Weapons System Contract

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Thursday, November 19, 2020
Lockheed Corporation, International relations, Nuclear warfare, Articles, Trident, Cold War, UGM-133 Trident II, Deterrence theory

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) was awarded an $85M contract from Navy Strategic Systems Programs (SSP).

Key Points: 
  • ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc. (SPA) was awarded an $85M contract from Navy Strategic Systems Programs (SSP).
  • Under this contract, SPA will provide technical services, arms control support, program support, assessments, training support for managing high risk technologies, special studies and systems engineering for the Trident II Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile Strategic Weapons system.
  • For 46 years SPA has supported this critically important nuclear deterrence program and we are grateful to be able to continue our long standing partnership with SSP supporting this critical strategic mission," said Dr. William Vantine, SPA President and CEO.
  • Our capabilities include: Advanced Analytics; System Engineering and Safety Analysis; Strategy, Policy and Compliance; Program and Acquisition Management; and Software Tool Development.

The cost of the UK’s strategic nuclear deterrent

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Saturday, June 20, 2020
Trident, Submarines, Lockheed Corporation, Military of the United Kingdom, Polaris, Military, United Kingdom–United States relations, Dreadnought-class submarine, Ministry of Defence, UGM-133 Trident II, Strategic Defence Review, V bomber

Since the acquisition of the UK's first strategic nuclear deterrent in the 1950s, the cost of procuring and maintaining it, and which Government department should finance it, has always been a matter of much debate.Download the full report Ascertaining historical costs for the nuclear deterrent is difficult and complex, as this information is not easily available from public sources.

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Since the acquisition of the UK's first strategic nuclear deterrent in the 1950s, the cost of procuring and maintaining it, and which Government department should finance it, has always been a matter of much debate.

Download the full report
    • Ascertaining historical costs for the nuclear deterrent is difficult and complex, as this information is not easily available from public sources.
    • Many records no longer exist, while others were classified.
    • In the past the Government has also often not discussed costs on the grounds of operational security.
    • current prices, constant prices, as a percentage of the defence budget) therefore making it difficult to provide an annual breakdown that is calculated in a consistent manner.

Historical costs

    V-bomber force

      • The UKs strategic nuclear deterrent was initially provided by the RAFs V-force.
      • In In 1957 the Secretary of State for Air sought to reassure those who felt that too much of the defence expenditure was being devoted to the deterrent, saying the V-bomber force will absorb only about one-tenth of the defence budget.
      • In 1958 the Government said that altogether, including the cost of the defence by conventional forces of deterrent bases, about one-fifth of the defence budget was allocated to the deterrent.

    Polaris

      • The UK purchased the submarine-based Polaris system from the United States in 1962 under the Polaris Sales Agreement.
      • In 1968 Polaris entered service and became the UKs main nuclear force.
      • In March 1981 the MOD put the cost of the Polaris procurement at 330 million, over a period of nine years (1963-1972).
      • Discussing how Polaris would be paid for, the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, John Hay, stated on 2 March 1964: It has always been the Governments view that the Polaris submarine programme Polaris being the carrier of the nuclear deterrent, should be taken on the defence budget as a whole; that is to say, it should not fall entirely on the Navy.


      The Polaris fleet began to leave service in 1994.

    Cost of procuring Trident

      • A decision to replace the Polaris nuclear deterrent system with Trident was made in July 1980, under the terms of the Polaris sales agreement 1963, as amended for Trident (Treaty Series 086/1980) and (Treaty Series 008/1983).
      • The then Defence Secretary Francis Pym made a statement to the House on the replacement of the UKs Polaris strategic nuclear deterrent system with Trident.
      • In that statement he confirmed that the capital cost of procuring Trident would be taken out of the existing defence budget.
      • By the time of the 1998 Strategic Defence Review (SDR) the majority of costs associated with procuring Trident had been spent.
      • However, it should be noted that this did not represent a doubling of costs on the Trident programme.

    Cost of the Dreadnought programme

      • This cost estimate includes all costs associated with acquisition including feasibility studies, design, assessment, demonstration and manufacture (including the US-UK Common Missile Compartment project).
      • It also accounts for expected defence inflation over the life of the programme and investment in new facilities at BAE Systems in Barrow.
      • Investment in HM Naval Base Clyde, the Trident II D5 missile Service Life Extension programme and work on options for replacing the nuclear warhead, are not part of the Dreadnought programme spend.
      • By the end of 2019 the MOD had spent 7 billion on the programme and accessed 600 million of the contingency fund.
      • In line with convention, the Dreadnought programme will be funded from the MODs core equipment procurement budget.

    The longstanding debate over budgetary responsibility

      • In 2007 a disagreement erupted between the MOD and the Treasury over the funding of the capital costs of the Successor programme.
      • The MOD suggested that the capital costs of procuring the nuclear deterrent had, in the past, been borne by the Treasury, a position which the Treasury refuted.
      • The argument centred round an increase to the defence budget which was announced as part of the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR).
      • The question of budgetary responsibility resurfaced as part of the Modernising Defence Programme review, with a number of MPs suggesting that the Dreadnought programme should be removed from the defence budget.

    Replacing the UK’s Nuclear Deterrent: Progress of the Dreadnought Class

    Retrieved on: 
    Saturday, June 20, 2020
    Trident, Lockheed Corporation, Submarines, Nuclear weapons of the United States, Missiles, Weapons, Ballistic missile submarines, UGM-133 Trident II, Ballistic missile submarine, Nuclear submarine, Dreadnought-class submarine, Vanguard-class submarine

    In a vote in July 2016 the House of Commons approved the decision to maintain the UK’s nuclear deterrent beyond the early 2030s. After almost a decade of work on the project, that vote subsequently enabled the programme to move forward into its manufacturing phase, which will see the construction of four new Dreadnought class ballistic missile submarines over the next 15-20 years. Download the full reportA Common Missile Compartment (CMC) for the SSBN, which will house the existing Trident strategic weapons system, is being developed in conjunction with the United States.

    Key Points: 


    In a vote in July 2016 the House of Commons approved the decision to maintain the UK’s nuclear deterrent beyond the early 2030s. After almost a decade of work on the project, that vote subsequently enabled the programme to move forward into its manufacturing phase, which will see the construction of four new Dreadnought class ballistic missile submarines over the next 15-20 years.

    Download the full report
      • A Common Missile Compartment (CMC) for the SSBN, which will house the existing Trident strategic weapons system, is being developed in conjunction with the United States.
      • Replacement of the Trident II D5 missile itself is not part of the programme.
      • Replacement of the nuclear warhead is also not part of the Dreadnought programme.
      • After having deferred a decision on replacement in the 2010 SDSDR, the Government recently confirmed that a replacement programme is underway.
      • Transition to the new warhead, which will be compatible with the Trident missile system, is expected from the late 2030s onwards.
      • A new Submarine Delivery Agency has been established, which became an Executive Agency of the MOD on 23 April 2018.
      • That agency will manage the procurement and in-service support of all current and future nuclear submarines, including Dreadnought.
      • In line with convention, the Dreadnought programme will be funded from the MODs core equipment budget.