News

Missile Test Failure Raises Concerns

4.3

Clarence L. Polk

• February 21, 2024

A recent missile test-fired from a British nuclear submarine ended in failure, marking the second unsuccessful test in a row. The Sun newspaper reported that the first-stage booster failed to ignite, causing the missile with dummy warheads to splash down near the Florida launch site. Fortunately, the missile did not hit the HMS Vanguard submarine, which was carrying Defense Secretary Grant Shapps at the time.

Details of the Test

The failed missile test took place in late January. The Ministry of Defense reassured the public that the failure was "event specific" and stated that there were no implications for the overall reliability of the system.

Past Failures

In a previous test back in 2016, while the boosters did ignite, the missile veered off course and had to be automatically self-destructed. The report also mentioned that the last successful test of the Trident 2 missile system was conducted in 2012.

Overall, Lockheed Martin is the manufacturer of the Trident 2 missile system. The repeated failures raise concerns about the reliability of the nuclear submarine program.