The National Nuclear Safety Administration of the US Department of Energy announced the first upgraded W88 thermonuclear warhead designed for UGM-133A Trident II (D5) ballistic missiles launched from nuclear submarines, The Drive reports.
The product, called W88 Alteration 370 (Alt 370), was created on July 1. It differs from the previous modifications of the W88, in particular, by updating the charge initiation system and adding a lightning rod connector.
Work on the modernization of weapons began 11 years ago and should be completed in 2026. The cost of the corresponding program is $ 2.8 billion.
In June, Popular Mechanics magazine wrote that flight tests of the American advanced intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) are scheduled for 2023.
In May, the Defense News publication, referring to the statement of General Timothy Ray, reported that the creation of a new ICBM under the GBSD program to replace the LGM-30G Minuteman III, which has been in service since 1970, will cost $ 38 billion cheaper than supporting the latter until 2075.
Ivan Potapov
