Britain should renew Trident in face of possible 'nuclear blackmail', says report
In a most serious report released on Tuesday on an issue crucial to Britain's identity and security but woefully neglected in political debate, one issue stands out – the extent to which the UK's nuclear deterrent relies on the US.
Without the cooperation of the US, says the report of the independent all-party Trident Commission, the life expectancy of the UK's nuclear capability could be measured in months.
The commission's high level panel says it agrees that Britain's deterrent is "a hostage to American goodwill".
"If the United States were to withdraw their cooperation completely, the UK nuclear capability would probably have a life expectancy measured in months rather than years".
Not only are Britain's Trident missiles in a common pool shared with the US and maintained in Kings Bay, Georgia, its nuclear warheads are designed and maintained at the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston with the help of US know-how, as recently declassified documents on the UK-US Mutual Defence Agreement confirmed.
Tuesday's report noted: "The UK is dependent on the United States for many component parts of the guidance and re-entry vehicle, and for the Trident ballistic missile system itself".
Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 3:29 pm