Trident. The nuclear deterrent.

[Leekbrookgull]

Realistically just how independant is it ?

 

[Spun Cuppa]

A party of dignitaries were being shown round a Trident installation, and a lady asked their guide, 'What about Cruise?', and the guide, a little baffled said, 'No madam, there are no crews...'

 

[wigman]

A party of dignitaries were being shown round a Trident installation, and a lady asked their guide, 'What about Cruise?', and the guide, a little baffled said, 'No madam, there are no crews...'

2/10

 

[beorhthelm]

Realistically just how independant is it ?

i dont believe the UK would have bought it if the US had any sort of veto over its use, we could have developed our own system (albeit at greater cost). any sort of backdoor deactivation would have discovered and neutralised.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

How do we know it works ?

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Can the British actually launch it independently ?

 

[Frutos]

Can the British actually launch it independently ?

We have four Royal Navy submarines equipped with Trident missiles, so I see no reason why we couldn't.

 

[beorhthelm]

Can the British actually launch it independently ?

assume so. there is no way anyone would be able to prevent a launch. the only question mark is over a) we are "allowed" to launch (tosh) b) if the warheads would be armed without permission (again, why would agree to that).

 

[northstandnorth]

apparently only the president has access to the launch codes for any U.S.designed nuclear weapon so no we cant nuke the yanks.

 

[beorhthelm]

apparently only the president has access to the launch codes for any U.S.designed nuclear weapon so no we cant nuke the yanks.

the launch codes are already on board (or in the silo, where ever), otherwise you wouldnt be able to launch a counter strike without communications with the command, which might not be possible. this whould render all nukes redundant as there is no threat of retaliation from a pre-emptive strike. the Mutually Assured Destruction doctrine depends on independent launch, which would extend to UK deterent.

 

[Southover Street Seagull]

The warheads and missiles are stored and serviced by the Yanks in a navy base in Georgia, so technically they are not fully independent.

Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Eastleigh Seagull]

The missiles are stored in Kings Bay - we design and build our own warheads, they are carried on the submarine and matched up at Kings Bay before the subs go out on patrol. Once they are on board the submarine then yes they are totally independent and as there is always at least one submarine on fuill patrol then yes we have an independent nuclear deterrent - just one that piggy backs on US investment meaning we spend about 5% of our defence budget on the capability as opposed to the French who built and designed their own at a cost of 15% of their budget (which is pretty much equal to our budget).