During the early hours, images and videos from various Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) outlets recorded what would appear to be the launch of a Trident II D5 ballistic missile from a submarine in the vicinity of Puerto Rico. The episode takes place within the framework of a significant deployment of the United States Armed Forces in the Caribbean, marked by the dispatch of F-35 fighters to the Caribbean country, mutual accusations between the U.S. and Venezuela over drug trafficking, and increasing naval and air maneuvers that have raised alarm in Caracas.
Although no official statement has been issued by the Pentagon, the event has already been circulating widely for several hours on different platforms, with the addition that analysts assume it was the launch of a Trident II D5 ballistic missile from a U.S. Navy Ohio-class nuclear-powered submarine, as part of a test or strategic deterrence exercise. These missiles are employed exclusively by the aforementioned class and by the Royal Navy’s Vanguard class, constituting part of the core of the sea-based nuclear deterrent of both nations.
On this point, it is important to clarify regarding the bulk of assets deployed by the United States to the Caribbean region that various sources indicated the nuclear-powered attack submarine Newport News (SSN-750) had been sent. However, this belongs to the Los Angeles class — equipped with cruise missiles and torpedoes, but not Trident ballistic missiles — which opens the possibility that another submarine, either from the Ohio class or from the Royal Navy, is operating in the region.
In parallel, it became known that a navigation warning had been issued for the region between September 17 and 22, covering the same area where the launch was detected. Minutes later, various videos shared on social media showed the luminous object crossing the night sky at 23:25 UTC, with multiple recordings captured from Puerto Rico. The Caribbean Astronomy Society described the phenomenon as a “military test,” although without specifying the responsible nation.
Trident D5 Missile
The Trident II D5 missile constitutes one of the main strategic weapons of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines of the United States Navy. It is a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) developed by Lockheed Martin, with three solid-fuel propelled stages and a range exceeding 7,000 kilometers.
It is designed to carry multiple independently targetable reentry vehicles (MIRVs), which allow it to transport up to 12 W76 or W88 nuclear warheads with yields ranging from 100 to 475 kilotons. Thanks to its combination of intercontinental range, precision, and power, the Trident II D5 constitutes one of the pillars of the U.S. nuclear triad.
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