TRIDENT II REPLACEMENT CLOSURE

Forward closure systems must protect submarine missiles from the surrounding underwater environment, and allow for unabated missile egress during launch. The goal of this program is to design a new, innovative, composite forward closure for the Trident II missile system that is capable of withstanding harsh submarine environments, will reduce material and labor costs, and provide critical mission success. The system's primary mode of operation shall be active operation, but will allow for passive missile egress should failure of the active system occur during launch. Composite materials are unique in their ability to be tailored for individual applications, making them the ideal candidate for a system that requires high strength, while imparting minimal load on an egressing missile. During this project, San Diego Composites will build on the success of the Phase I program to design, fabricate, and test a cost-effective, tactical Trident II closure. SDC plans to meet the goals of this Phase II by utilizing our extensive design and analysis knowledge, advanced composite manufacturing techniques, and highly-detailed testing experience.