Theresa May under pressure over Trident missile test

[dutchman]

Theresa May is coming under pressure to say whether she knew about a reported misfire of the UK's nuclear weapons system before a crucial Commons vote.



The Sunday Times says the missile veered off course during a test in June last year - weeks before the Commons voted to spend £40bn renewing Trident.

Questioned by Andrew Marr, the PM refused to say four times if she had known about the test ahead of the vote.

The SNP's Nicola Sturgeon called for a "full disclosure" of what happened.

According to the Sunday Times, an unarmed Trident II D5 missile veered off in the wrong direction towards the US - instead of towards Africa - when it was launched from a British submarine off the coast of Florida.

In July - days after Mrs May had become prime minister - MPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of replacing Trident.

During the debate, Mrs May told MPs it would be "an act of gross irresponsibility" for the UK to abandon its nuclear weapons.

MPs backed its renewal by 472 votes to 117. However, all 52 SNP MPs voted against it - as did Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

When asked on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show whether she had known then that a misfire had happened, Mrs May said: "I have absolute faith in our Trident missiles.

"When I made that speech in the House of Commons, what we were talking about was whether or not we should renew our Trident."

She was asked a further three times - but did not answer the questions.

The Ministry of Defence did not give details of the test process but said it had been a success.

The Sunday Times says the test fire was launched from HMS Vengeance.

It says the Trident II D5 missile was intended to be fired 5,600 miles (9,012 km) to a sea target off the west coast of Africa but veered towards the US.

The cause remains top secret, the paper says, but it quotes a senior naval source as saying the missile suffered an in-flight malfunction after launching out of the water.

[rebbonk]

You can bet your life she was well aware of this malfunction. I think it reasonable that she wouldn't discuss it. In fact, I'm surprised a "D" notice wasn't issued about it.

But now we know about it, it's a different matter. Just how much are we paying for missiles that may not work and which may have a bearing on the MAD (mutually assured destruction) principles?

[dutchman]

I think the important point here is that information was hidden from the MPs who voted on the issue.

In any case Trident has never been about 'defence', there are cheaper and more accurate ways of delivering nuclear warheads. It's purely about securing jobs in the shipbuilding industry and votes in Scotland. Corbyn has even suggested leaving the warheads empty!

[dutchman]

Theresa May was told about Trident missile test



Theresa May was told about a recent Trident test happening when she became prime minister, Downing Street has said, following reports a missile went off course.

Labour and the SNP are urging the government to explain whether a test firing from HMS Vengeance went wrong.

The incident reportedly happened a few weeks before MPs voted to renew the UK's nuclear weapons system.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon will address MPs on the issue at 15:30 GMT.

The Ministry of Defence says submarine HMS Vengeance and its crew were "successfully tested" last June.

But shadow chancellor John McDonnell said it was "extremely worrying" Parliament had not been told of the incident when voting on renewing Trident in July.

BBC defence correspondent Jonathan Beale says the Royal Navy has carried out half a dozen such tests since 2000 and in the past has publicised successful launches, but this time did not.

[dutchman]

US official confirms Trident missile failure

Washington (CNN)A missile test involving Britain's Trident nuclear deterrent system ended in failure off the coast of Florida last year, a US defense official with direct knowledge of the incident told CNN on Monday.

The official told CNN that the incident, which happened in an the area off the Florida coast used by the US and the UK for missile tests, did not include a nuclear warhead as it was a test.

Britain's Sunday Times newspaper reported that the missile veered towards the US coast but the US official told CNN the trajectory was part of an automatic self-destruct sequence.

The official said the missile was diverted into the ocean to self-destruct -- an automatic procedure when missile electronics detect an anomaly.