UGM-96 Trident I

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	Weapon: UGM-96 Trident I Type: Rocket Artillery Country of Origin: United States Year Adopted: 1980 Overall Length (mm): 13000.0 Overall Length (in): 511.81 Weight (kg): 33000.00 Weight (pounds): 72752.55

The UGM-96 Trident I, also known as the Trident C4, was the first iteration of the Trident series of submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) developed by the United States. Designed in the 1970s as an evolutionary upgrade from the Poseidon missile, the Trident I featured increased range, improved accuracy, and a larger payload capacity. It utilized advanced solid-fuel rocket technology and was equipped with multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), enabling it to carry up to eight nuclear warheads per missile.

The Trident I entered service in 1979 and was deployed on the U.S. Navy's Ohio-class submarines, as well as retrofitted to some Lafayette-class and Benjamin Franklin-class submarines. Approximately 570 Trident I missiles were produced during its operational lifetime, serving as a cornerstone of the U.S. strategic deterrent throughout the 1980s. The missile boasted an operational range of approximately 7,400 kilometers, allowing it to strike targets deep within adversary territory while maintaining the survivability of the submarines from which it was launched.

The Trident I earned a reputation as a reliable and powerful deterrent weapon during the later stages of the Cold War. Its combination of extended range and MIRV capability significantly enhanced the United States' second-strike capacity, ensuring strategic stability. Though eventually replaced by the more advanced Trident II (D5) missile in the 1990s, the Trident I remains a critical chapter in the evolution of modern ballistic missile technology and the U.S. Navy's nuclear force projection.