The U.S. Navy’s Strategic Systems Programs, or SSP, unit has awarded Alexandria, Virginia-based consultancy firm Emcube a $79.6 million hybrid contract to support the Trident II D5 Strategic Weapon System and Dreadnought programs.
A long-time provider of technical, financial, and managerial services to government agencies, the company primarily supports SSP, which provides the United States with deterrent and defense operations.
Systems Engineering and Training
According to the DOD notice, Emcube will provide systems engineering, training, security engineering and acquisition support, among other services, under the contract, which also includes support for a foreign military sale to the United Kingdom.
The Department of Defense said most of the work will be performed in Virginia and Washington, D.C., and several other locations, including the U.K., with an expected completion date of January 2030.
Deterrent and Defense Operations
Trident II SWS is a critical component of the U.S. nuclear deterrent. Deployed on Ohio-class and Vanguard-class submarines, it consists of the Trident II D5 Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile, a three-stage, solid-fuel missile that provides military forces with assured second-strike capability.
Meanwhile, the Dreadnought program is the United Kingdom’s initiative to develop four new ballistic missile submarines. According to the Dreadnought Alliance, the vessels will replace the Vanguard class in the early 2030s and be the largest ever operated by the Royal Navy. BAE Systems Submarines is undertaking the construction in Barrow-in-Furness, with nuclear propulsion systems provided by Rolls Royce Submarines.