that missile test off SoCal

U.S. Navy’s Trident II D5 Missile Achieves New Test Flight Reliability Record

Sunnyvale, Calif., Nov. 10, 2015 – The U.S. Navy conducted successful test flights Nov. 7 and 9 of two Trident II D5 Fleet Ballistic Missiles built by Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT). The world’s most reliable large ballistic missile, the D5 missile has achieved a total of 157 successful test flights since design completion in 1989. The D5 is the sixth in a series of missile generations deployed since the sea-based deterrent program began 60 years ago.
The Navy launched the unarmed missiles in the Pacific Ocean from a submerged Ohio-class submarine. The missiles were converted into test configurations using kits produced by Lockheed Martin that contain range safety devices and flight telemetry instrumentation. The test flights were part of a demonstration and shakedown operation, which the Navy uses to certify a submarine for deployment following an overhaul.
“This reliability record is a testament to the unwavering dedication to the deterrence mission by the Navy program office, the submarine crews and the industry team,” said Mat Joyce, vice president of Fleet Ballistic Missile programs and deputy for Strategic and Missile Defense Systems, Lockheed Martin Space Systems. “Building on a six-decade history of success, we’re moving into the future by implementing new engineering methods that will pave the way for continued innovation and performance.”
To support the U.S. Navy Strategic Systems Programs, Lockheed Martin is incorporating modernized electronics technology to cost effectively prolong the service life of the D5 missile design on current and next-generation submarine platforms. These two missile flights formally qualify the new flight control and interlocks electronics packages for deployment in 2017. The modernized avionics subsystems, which control key missile functions during flight, enable missile life extension through 2042.

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/us/news/press-releases/2015/november/missile-space-trident.html

The Navy on Monday afternoon launched a second missile, following their first planned exercise on Saturday — an occurrence that sparked conspiracy theories across Arizona.

The Trident II D5 unarmed missiles were launched from the USS Kentucky, a ballistic missile submarine off the coast of Southern California. The Los Angeles Times reported that the second missile is expected to be the last.

http://www.abc15.com/news/state/navy-launches-second-missile-changed-routes-for-lax-flights

What were the USN doing testing Trident over Russia?;):D

I assume that was claimed as a rocket test too?

Yes it was. It was a Bulava failure. Russia admitted to it.

A spectacular spiral light show in the sky above Norway on Wednesday was caused by a Russian missile that failed just after launch, according to Russia’s defense ministry.The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that a Bulava ballistic missile test had failed. …. “It has been established … that the missile’s first two stages worked as normal, but there was a technical malfunction at the next, third, stage of the trajectory,” Reuters quoted a Defense Ministry spokesman as saying.

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/34362960/ns/technology_and_science-space/#.VkIuMfntlBc

What were the USN doing testing Trident over Russia?;):D

I assume that was claimed as a rocket test too?

Well.. Russians surely did better than that. :3

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Much more artistic.

I can see why they might have been hysterical! is that something dropping away centre right or a trick of the light?

Amazing photo sequence at following link.

https://lessthanamateur.wordpress.com/2015/11/08/missile-test-l-a-ufo-what-we-saw-from-the-salton-sea-on-bombay-beach/

Simply because it’s so visible. If you want to test something without causing a “flap”, then do it in the daytim

That said, I’m sure civilian “flap” reduction doesn’t figure highly on the list of priorities for the agency in charge of such things.

A test was declared prior to the date was it not?

There’s a valid NOTAM for these areas logged. The NOTAM isnt the most informative I’ve seen but it does describe hazardous operations.

Timing can be affected by local, transient, conditions all too easily especially in areas with significant air and sea movements seen. A later shot could be simply the result of range hold for any number of reasons and a desire not to waste the opportunity. Test shots would usually be in daylight though for reasons of trials imagery clarity.

Simply because it’s so visible. If you want to test something without causing a “flap”, then do it in the daytime.

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That said, I’m sure civilian “flap” reduction doesn’t figure highly on the list of priorities for the agency in charge of such things.

A test was declared prior to the date was it not?

I can’t find any decent footage of it without hysterical Californians on it.

ROFL! Yes, they were more than a bit hysterical.

Past experience has shown that we need to take extreme case care when evaluating snatches of amateur video. The last time we had footage of a Californian ‘Mystery Missile’, one of the Jane’s editors was shown a brief clip and asked to make an ‘instant’ judgement. This showed what looked like the efflux of a solid-propellant missile, he stated, and to this day has never lived it down. Googling his name produces a plethora of ‘Janes editor confirms it was missile’ stories. You will have a hard time finding news reports citing his final verdict that viewing of the entire recording made it clear that the ‘efflux’ was simply a contrail.

The moral of this story (apart from the obvious one that experts should be never be pressured into giving ‘snap’ judgements on anything submitted by the mass media) is that we need to be sure that we are seeing the entire event, and not just the bit that was ‘cherry-picked’ because it looked good on screen.

So what we need to know before expressing Distiller-style incredulity are:

1 The total time for which the object was visible
2 The total burn time of all three stages of the Trident SLBM
…and perhaps:
3 The likely burn time of its post-boost vehicle

MrMalaya, why do you consider that this was “an odd time to test Trident”?

I can’t find any decent footage of it without hysterical Californians on it.

Hard to judge until that happens, but I agree that it seems like an odd time to test Trident….