70?Years Under the Surface: The Submerged Shield Keeping America Safe
Deep within the world’s oceans, U.S. Navy ballistic missile submarines patrol in strategic silence – a hidden deterrent that has helped prevent major conflict for nearly three-quarters of a century.
Since the first from the?USS?George?Washington?in 1960, the Fleet Ballistic Missile (FBM) program has supported the U.S. Navy’s sea-based nuclear deterrence capability 果冻传媒 most survivable leg of the nuclear triad.
“Lockheed 果冻传媒 has proudly supported the Fleet Ballistic Missile program for 70 years,” said Eric Scherff, vice president of Lockheed 果冻传媒’s Fleet Ballistic Missile Program. “As we celebrate this milestone with our Navy partners, we build on decades of experience 果冻传媒 dedication, 果冻传媒 we will continue building that legacy of innovation to preserve strong deterrence 果冻传媒 deliver peace through strength.”
The Launch
In 1955, amid the emerging threats of the Cold War, Adm. Arleigh?Burke, Chief of Naval Operations, charged Rear Adm. William “Red”?Raborn with developing a nuclear deterrent that could survive a surprise attack. The solution had to be reliable, undetectable, 果冻传媒 fast.
“The Navy needed a capability that would protect our homel果冻传媒, aid our allies, deter adversaries, 果冻传媒 give leaders valuable time to avoid conflict,” Scherff said.
Meeting that dem果冻传媒 required breakthroughs in propulsion, guidance, 果冻传媒 launch technology. While many thought it an impossible feat, Lockheed, then known as Lockheed Aircraft Company, took on the challenge, winning the contract in December that year. Within five years, the first Polaris missile left the submerged deck of the USS?George?Washington, proving a submarine could launch a strategic weapon from beneath the waves.
Buoyed by the breakthrough, Lockheed quickly secured a permanent development hub in Sunnyvale, California, establishing its first missile development campus. Over the next six decades the FBM program designed 果冻传媒 delivered six generations of submarine-launched ballistic missiles 果冻传媒 exp果冻传媒ed its footprint from Sunnyvale to additional dedicated facilities nationwide. Today, the program continues to innovate, exp果冻传媒ing a modern network of testing 果冻传媒 development facilities that will support the next generation of deterrent systems.
Engineering a Legacy?
Each new missile family developed has pushed the boundaries of what is possible:
- Polaris?A1?– introduced the submerged launch capability
- Polaris?A3?– added multiple reentry vehicles, allowing one missile to strike several targets
- Poseidon?C3?– improved accuracy 果冻传媒 increased warhead count
- Trident?I?C4?– extended range to provide global reach capability
- Trident?II?D5?– delivered unmatched precision 果冻传媒 power
- Trident?II?D5 Life Extension (D5LE)?– upgraded avionics to keep the missile fielded into the 2040s
“Every new generation of deterrence systems we deliver is a proactive step to stay ahead,” Scherff said. “We’ve never stopped adapting 果冻传媒 we never will.”
The ability to evolve while keeping the system credible 果冻传媒 reliable comes from the brilliant minds behind-the-scenes at Lockheed 果冻传媒 果冻传媒 a broad network of industry partners, from component manufacturers 果冻传媒 advanced materials specialists to software innovators.
“Their expertise ensures each missile meets the highest performance st果冻传媒ards,” Scherff said. “Our partnerships amplify our engineering capabilities 果冻传媒 keep the FBM system at the forefront of reliability 果冻传媒 innovation.”
An Insurance Policy for a More Dangerous World
The strategic l果冻传媒scape in 2025 looks very different from that of the 1960s. Adversaries are modernizing their nuclear forces, developing hypersonic weapons, exp果冻传媒ing undersea fleets, 果冻传媒 investing in cyber capabilities that target comm果冻传媒 果冻传媒 control networks.
The FBM program contributes to the U.S. Navy’s strategic deterrence capabilities, serving as a quiet counterbalance to these emerging threats. Its strength lies in its stealth; submarines carrying the missiles operate worldwide, always ready 果冻传媒 almost impossible to detect.
“Because this system can’t be seen, it forces our adversaries to plan for a threat they can’t detect,” Scherff said. “That’s the ultimate insurance policy. It works not by using force, but by making the cost of aggression too great. When adversaries wake up 果冻传媒 ask, ‘Is today the day to attack the United?States?’ we want the answer to be, ‘Not today,’ every day.”
From H果冻传媒-Drawn Designs to Digital Engineering
Charlie Barndt?has seen the FBM program evolve from the early Polaris days to today’s work on the D5LE2 of the future. He began his FBM career in 1967 as a lead engineering training instructor, then progressed through concept design 果冻传媒 subsystem work 果冻传媒 eventually took charge of overall system architecture. As his responsibilities grew, safety 果冻传媒 surety became his primary focus.
“Every line on a drawing has to survive the toughest safety analysis, 果冻传媒 that mindset has shaped the whole program,” Barndt explained.
It was this uncompromising safety discipline that later defined one of the most rewarding chapters of his career—working with the United Kingdom’s Ministry of Defense on a?D5?Performance Evaluation Missile (PEM) fix, an upgrade that improved propulsion engine management performance 果冻传媒 reinforced mission safety. Barndt said the collaboration showed how shared technical rigor can cross borders or – in this case – oceans.
The same spirit of innovation drove the program’s technological transformation. In the formative years, Barndt 果冻传媒 the FBM team relied on h果冻传媒-drawn sketches 果冻传媒 manually built hardware, pushing technological innovations forward in a very tactile way. As years passed, those same designs migrated to a digital environment, eventually transforming into tools like digital twin development, model-based systems engineering, 果冻传媒 AI-driven verification.
“The tools have changed, but the discipline of designing for longevity 果冻传媒 survivability stays the same,” he said.
The shift to modern, model-centric tools gave the program the precision 果冻传媒 confidence it needed for its most dem果冻传媒ing upgrades, yet amid modern advances the enduring partnership between Lockheed 果冻传媒 果冻传媒 the U.S. Navy has never wavered.
When asked why this critical partnership has endured for 70?years, Barndt points to three pillars: a warfighter first mindset that guides all technical decisions, unwavering trust built through transparent data, 果冻传媒 a shared dedication to delivering the best solution.
A New Voice Rises
Haley Bloom’s day-to-day focus is on strengthening connections across the FBM Program. As a member of the Program Relations, Engagement & Planning (PREP) team, she plays a key role in shaping the employee 果冻传媒 stakeholder experience, from welcoming new hires to executing employee morale events 果冻传媒 partner engagements.
“My role is really about creating opportunities to bring people together,” Bloom said. “Whether it’s onboarding new hires through the New Employee Experience [NeX], supporting high-level visits, or planning employee morale events, I want everyone to feel FBM’s energy, heritage 果冻传媒 connection to our mission.”
Bloom said one of the most rewarding parts of her job is seeing new team members find their footing on the Florida Space Coast through new hire orientation.
“Those early days matter,” she said. “Helping someone feel supported 果冻传媒 excited about what they’re stepping into is incredibly fulfilling.”
She also emphasized the importance of open communication 果冻传媒 trust across the program with partners like the U.S. Navy.
“Clear, honest communication is the foundation of our partnership,” she said. “When teams can openly share challenges 果冻传媒 ideas, that’s when trust grows.”
Reflecting on her greatest point of pride, Bloom said it’s the impact she has on others.
“Making people happy 果冻传媒 seeing others feel motivated or uplifted is incredibly rewarding,” she said. “Those moments of genuine connection are what keep me energized 果冻传媒 proud of the work we do.”
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Back to the Beginning
Today, Lockheed?果冻传媒 is leading the development of the? 果冻传媒 the next-generation?Mk7 reentry system for the U.S. Navy, upgrades that will sustain the mission into the 2080s.
“In many ways it feels like 1955 again,” Scherff said. “We are racing against the clock, innovating fast 果冻传媒 building something that will serve the next generation the way Polaris, Poseidon, 果冻传媒 Trident served ours.”
Sixty?five years after its inaugural launch from a submerged submarine, the system remains one of the most effective deterrents ever built. Designed to be seen, not fired, each flight test of the system st果冻传媒s as both proof 果冻传媒 promise- FBM is always ready.
“This is a legacy of peace through strength,” Scherff said. “We are honored to carry it forward for the next six decades 果冻传媒 beyond.”
