The first eight submarines initially deployed with the Polaris A-2 missile, later being refitted with the longer ranged Polaris A-3, with having the A-3 missile from the start. In the mid-1970s all were upgraded to carry the Poseidon C3 missile; their missile tubes were slightly larger than the "Ethan Allen" and "George Washington" classes and Poseidon was designed to take advantage of this. Unlike twelve of the similar "James Madison" and "Benjamin Franklin" classes, none of the "Lafayette"-class submarines were refitted with Trident I (C4) missiles.