The Washington Summit : U.S. Postpones Trident 2 Test, Avoids Controversy

The Reagan Administration postponed a test of the new Trident 2 ballistic missile that had been set for Thursday, the last day of the U.S.-Soviet summit meeting, Pentagon sources said.

The Navy said the test was postponed for “technical reasons,” but Administration officials conceded that it was delayed in order to avoid the symbolism of launching the controversial missile while Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev was in Washington for talks with President Reagan.

The test launch, from Cape Canaveral, will take place sometime between today and Sunday to take advantage of favorable weather and atmospheric conditions, a Navy spokesman said.

Test Series Planned

The Trident 2 is an advanced version of the Trident 1 ballistic missile carried on U.S. nuclear-powered submarines. It is scheduled to be deployed on the Navy’s latest Ohio-class submarines after a series of about 20 ground and sea test launches is completed in late 1988 or early 1989. There have been seven test firings so far.

Defense officials would not specify the number of warheads that the new missile will carry in this weekend’s test. The Trident 2, also known as the D-5, is capable of carrying 12 warheads but has never been tested with more than eight. The Administration and Congress are at odds over whether to test the missile with 12 warheads because of the implications such a test would have for compliance with future arms control treaties with the Soviets.

Officials said Thursday that the Trident test is routine and that the missile will not carry 12 warheads.

Under arms control treaties, including the 1972 Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty and the unratified 1979 SALT II agreement, the number of warheads on intercontinental ballistic missiles is counted on the basis of the highest number tested with the delivery vehicle. Thus, once the Trident 2 is tested with 12 warheads, all Trident 2 missiles are assumed to carry 12.