Martian2
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So? It still can't hit a target within 1,000 feet. Trident C4 has been around for decades (since 1977). Its CEP is 1,250 feet. Also, its W76 warhead is only 100 kilotons.Trident (missile) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"It is an Inertial Guidance System with an additional Star-Sighting system (this combination is known as astro-inertial guidance), which is used to correct small position and velocity errors that result from launch condition uncertainties due to errors in the submarine navigation system and errors that may have accumulated in the guidance system during the flight due to imperfect instrument calibration. GPS has been used on some test flights but is assumed not to be available for a real mission"
It is expected that GPS will be unavailable.
Trident C4 fails on both requirements.
1. Less than 1,000 feet from the target.
2. Warhead has to be 500 kilotons.
Also, the citation was based on a hardened 2,000 psi silo. A super-hardened silo is 4,000 psi. The citation stated that Soviet silos were hardened to 8,000 psi.
A 1,250 feet CEP is insufficient to destroy a hardened silo. It is woefully inadequate for a super-hardened silo.
The bottom line is that inertial guidance is not sufficiently accurate to destroy a silo hardened to 2,000 psi. A 4,000 psi silo will require a much closer hit. A 8,000 psi silo cannot be destroyed by inaccurate inertial guidance.
To destroy a 8,000 psi silo requires a direct hit. You need GPS and a half-megaton warhead.
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Lockheed Martin UGM-133 Trident II
"The MK 6 stellar/inertial navigation system is able to receive GPS (Global Positioning System) updates, thereby increasing accuracy to that of a land-based ICBM, about 90 m (300 ft) CEP (compared to 380 m (1250 ft) for the C-4)."
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