United States Armed Services personnel who support the nuclear triad receive specialized training to enhance their skills and gain a broader perspective of the mission. Sometimes, that means exchanging knowledge and insight with peers from the other components.
In a recent iteration of this training, U.S. Air Force missileers trained to work on the Minuteman intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) system recently got to exchange knowledge and insight with U.S. Navy personnel from ballistic missile submarines (SSBN). The missileers, assigned to the 315th Weapons Squadron (WPS) from Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, visited Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor in Silverdale, Washington, in September 2025 for an immersive experience that included a tour of the Ohio-class ballistic missile submarine USS Alabama.
“Our students are ICBM operators, so visiting [Kitsap-Bangor] allows them to see another leg of the nuclear triad firsthand. They’re able to develop a deeper understanding of how an SSBN operates,” U.S. Air Force Maj. Cortez Lampley, a 315th WPS instructor, said in a news release. “Ultimately, it allows them to open the aperture on nuclear weapons employment so they can go back and be better instructors for future missileers.”
In addition to the SSBN visit, the missileers saw the range of submarine operations, including facility tours:
- The Kitsap-Bangor’s Trident Training Facility, where Pacific Fleet SSBN personnel train in hyperrealistic scenarios.
- The Strategic Weapons Facility, Pacific missile assembly building, where the Trident II D5 submarine-launched ballistic missiles are maintained.
- Submarine Group 9 (SUBGRU-9) headquarters, the administrative and operational center for assigned submarine commands and units in the Pacific Northwest.
“The ability of our services to seamlessly operate as a cohesive Joint Force is fundamental to strategic deterrence,” U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Chris Nash, SUBGRU-9’s commander, said in a news release. “This synergy is especially crucial when considering our nation’s nuclear triad — the combination of strategic bombers, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and intercontinental ballistic missiles. Each element of the triad provides unique strengths: bombers offer flexible response options, SSBNs ensure survivable second-strike capability, and ICBMs provide immediate and credible retaliatory force. Integrating these diverse capabilities is a significant force multiplier, maximizing our deterrence posture.”
The missileers’ visit followed Reverse Strategic Weapons System (SWS) Week, which let Sailors who operate SSBN systems see firsthand how the Trident II D5 rocket motors are created. Sailors in attendance were chosen from SSBN crews on the East and West coasts and sent to the Strategic Systems Program’s (SSP) program management office (PMO) and detachments throughout the nation to give them a behind-the-scenes look at the weapons system they maintain and operate. The August 2025 group visited the SSP PMO Flight Systems’ detachment site in Magna, Utah, where the Sailors saw how Trident II D5 rocket motors are created.
For the Navy, the partnership between the fleet and PMO is a confidence builder for Sailors charged with operating the weapon system knowing dedicated personnel are out there building the system and interested in understanding the Sailor’s experience operating in a real-world environment.
“I want the fleet to see behind the scenes and get their buy-in for why the program is as rigorous as it is when it comes to things like changes and updates,” U.S. Navy SCPO Dwayne Chapman, the Fleet Liaison and Senior Enlisted Advisor for SPF, said in a news release. “We all understand the [role] of strategic deterrence. The guys and gals in the fleet are doing a tough job, and I’ve been wanting to bring them out here to see the cool side and it’s all been worth it. They’ve been holding each other accountable to the high standards of this program, and this gives them a refill in their tanks.”