U.S.-made submarine -launched ballistic missile.
The most advanced Trident missiles, deployed by the U.S. Navy since 1990 and by the Royal Navy since 1994, are more accurate than most land-based ballistic missiles. Their extended range (up to 7,000 mi [11,300 km]) allows the submarines that carry them to patrol almost anywhere, making detection extremely difficult. Each missile is capable of carrying more than 10 multiple independently targeted reentry vehicles (see MIRV ), though arms-control considerations limit the actual number to as few as three.