Weapons like the Trident D-5 were as much a psy-ops weapon as they were a physical weapon. Reagan wanted to drive the Soviets into the ground. He knew that our economy was far stronger and more robust than the USSR's. The plan was to ratchet up our arms on all fronts and force the Soviets to respond. A response that led to their economic collapse. Deploying, tridents, peacekeepers, B-1Bs, B-2s, F-117s, carrier battle groups, apaches, MLRSs, M-1s, and then threatening to back all of that up with Star Wars, forced the Soviets into a situation in which the majority of their economy was going towards military production at the expense of day to day goods and services.