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A History in Photos: Navy SSP Celebrates 67 Years of Sea-Based Strategic Deterrence

17 November 2022

From Lt. Jennifer Bowman

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs (SSP) released several historic photos to commemorate the organization’s 67th birthday Thursday.

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The album catalogues program inception and major milestones of the U.S. Navy’s Fleet Ballistic Missile Program. Originally established in the 1950s as Special Projects Office by the Secretary of the Navy under then President Dwight Eisenhower, the organization’s goal was to design, develop, and test the nation’s first-ever fleet ballistic missile. The Program met the challenge, developing the system and completing the first test launch from a submerged platform on the USS George Washington (SSBN 598) on July 20, 1960, a mere 5 years from being established.

"I am honored to recognize the very special beginnings of this program and highlight the enduring partnership and close collaboration government and industry established 67 years ago, which played a critical role in the initial success of the Fleet Ballistic Missile Program,” said SSP Director Vice. Adm. Johnny R. Wolfe Jr.

“Building on that history, this program continues to sustain the mission and set the world standard for weapons systems performance, safety, and reliability today.”

Rear Adm. William F. Raborn, appointed the first director of the Navy Special Projects Office (SPO) in Dec. 1955, examines the components of a Polaris test vehicle. The SPO was established by the Secretary of the Navy and was responsible for development and testing of world's first submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) and its related systems in conjunction with industry partners.
An unarmed Trident I C4 missile launches from the fleet ballistic missile submarine USS Daniel Boone (SSBN 629) off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Development on the Trident I C4 missile began in 1975 along with the construction of the first submarine to be fit for the Trident missile body.
The first unarmed Polaris A3 Missile successfully launches from the fleet ballistic missile submarine USS Daniel Webster (SSBN 626) off the coast of Cape Kennedy, Florida.
During a visit aboard the USS Observation Island (EAG 154), President John F. Kennedy witnesses the successful launch of an unarmed Polaris A2 missile from the LAFAYETTE Class submarine USS Andrew Jackson (SSBN 619) off the coast of Florida.
During a visit aboard the USS Observation Island (EAG 154), President John F. Kennedy witnesses the successful launch of an unarmed Polaris A2 missile from the LAFAYETTE Class submarine USS Andrew Jackson (SSBN 619) off the coast of Florida.
The Polaris A3 Missile awaits its first flight test from the Cape. A few days later, U.S. President John F. Kennedy would sign the DoD Fiscal Year 63 Appropriations Act authorizing constructions of five additional fleet ballistic submarines to be fit for the Polaris A3 ballistic missile body.
An early Polaris A2 missile rests on the launch pad at the Cape during its testing and development phases.
The first unarmed Polaris A1 Missile successfully launches from the fleet ballistic missile submarine USS George Washington (SSBN 598) off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The first unarmed Polaris A1 Missile successfully launches from the fleet ballistic missile submarine USS George Washington (SSBN 598) off the coast of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Rear Adm. William F. Raborn, appointed the first director of the Navy Special Projects Office (SPO) in Dec. 1955, answers questions about SPO’s mission and the development of the Polaris A1 missile.

SSP partners with government and industry to support Sea Based Strategic Deterrence (SBSD) providing cradle-to-grave lifecycle support for the Navy’s strategic weapons systems, the TRIDENT II D5/D5LE currently deployed on OHIO-Class SSBNs.  The sea-based leg of the nation’s nuclear triad is the Trident II D5/D5LE on ballistic missile submarines and is designed to provide the survivable leg of the nuclear triad along with the Minutemen III intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear capable B-52H Stratofortress and B-2A Spirit bombers.

The three legs of the U.S. nuclear triad serve as the backbone of America’s national security and are each being modernized to ensure our nation’s security into the future.  SSP is supporting the next generation of SBSD operations with the development of the Trident II D5LE2 system which will be deployed on the COLUMBIA-Class SSBN beginning with Hull 9. Development efforts have begun now to ensure the D5LE2 system is ready to meet the need on time.  

“As we celebrate more than six decades of this critical charge, we recognize we must grow this mission into the next generation capability to meet the challenges posed by our strategic competitors,” Wolfe said.

“I am confident SSP's team is poised to develop the combat-credible and forward-deployable weapons systems that will ensure the continued mission-ready success of our United States Navy and the security of our Nation."

 

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