Northtrop Grumman press release
The CMC is a joint United States and United Kingdom investment and design, and it was developed to produce a common missile compartment, representing significant cost savings for each navy’s Ship Submersible Ballistic Nuclear (SSBN) fleet.
As the original and only designer and manufacturer for the U.S. Navy’s Strategic Systems Program’s (SSP) submarine ballistic missile launch system since its inception in 1956, Northrop Grumman remains at the forefront of the technologies related to this capability.
“We are using Agile manufacturing processes to design and build launcher systems for the U.S. Navy’s Columbia and the Royal Navy’s Dreadnought Class SSBNs.”
“Building on our legacy, sharing a common missile compartment with the UK greatly streamlines production and deepens our collective strength.”
Joe Mulloy, vice president, marine systems, Northtrop Grumman.
Northrop Grumman solves the toughest problems in space, aeronautics, defense and cyberspace to meet the ever evolving needs of our customers worldwide. Our 90,000 employees define possible every day using science, technology and engineering to create and deliver advanced systems, products and services.
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About Columbia-class SSBN
The Columbia-class will replace the existing Ohio-class nuclear ballistic submarine force, which entered service in the 1980s. The future submarines will be 170 m long and 13 in diameter, and should have 16 missile launch tubes instead of 24 missile launch tubes on Ohio-class submarines. 12 Columbia-class SSBNs will help the U.S. Navy maintain a credible, survivable and modern sea-based strategic deterrent into the 2080s.
The Columbia-class is a critical shipbuilding program and must deliver on time to meet U.S. Strategic Command nuclear deterrence requirements due to the Ohio-class submarines reaching maximum extended service life. The first Columbia-class ship is on track to begin construction of USS Columbia (SSBN 826) in fiscal year 2021, deliver in fiscal year 2028, and on patrol in 2031.
The life-extended missiles – Trident II (D5LE) – are now being deployed to the Fleet and will serve for the remaining service life of U.S Ohio-class and as the initial loadout for the U.S. Columbia-class SSBNs.
