A bright streak over Puerto Rico’s night sky on September 21 has sparked speculation of a Trident II D5 missile launch from the North Atlantic. Videos shared on social media show the distinctive trail of what analysts believe was fired from a U.S. or British submarine.
The Trident II D5 is the core of the U.S. and U.K.’s sea-based nuclear deterrent — a three-stage, solid-fueled ballistic missile weighing nearly 59 tons and measuring 13.4 meters in length. It can deliver up to eight independently targetable warheads with high precision. While there has been no official confirmation of the launch, its timing stands out amid heightened U.S. pressure on Caracas and growing nuclear rivalry with Russia and China.
Russian sources suggest this may not have been a routine reliability test, but rather a trial of a hypersonic glide vehicle or another advanced payload. Hypersonic glide vehicles can maneuver through the atmosphere at speeds above Mach 5, making them far more difficult to intercept and potentially reshaping the strategic balance.
Currently, the U.S. Navy operates Trident D5s aboard 14 Ohio-class submarines, while the U.K. deploys them on four Vanguard-class boats. A modernization effort will equip upcoming Columbia- and Dreadnought-class submarines with upgraded missiles, extending their service life into the 2080s.
This launch comes against the backdrop of increasing geopolitical friction in the Caribbean, where Venezuela remains Moscow’s key regional partner and a major recipient of Chinese investment. The North Atlantic test, visible from Puerto Rico, may have been as much a message as a technical exercise — signaling Washington’s determination to maintain strategic dominance in a rapidly changing global landscape.
