Should We Renew the Trident Nuclear Deterrent?

Should We Renew the Trident Nuclear Deterrent?

The Trident nuclear programme, also known as the Trident nuclear deterrent, covers the development, procurement and operation of the current generation of United Kingdom nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them. 'Trident' is an operational system of four Vanguard-class submarines armed with Trident II D-5 ballistic missiles, able to deliver thermonuclear warheads from multiple independently-targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs). It is operated by the Royal Navy and based at Clyde Naval Base

Points

We are unable to foresee the emergence or re-emergence of threats that have a nuclear dimension sufficiently far in advance. In that uncertain environment, the argument is made that the UK needs to ensure it is taking decisions now which mean that in future decades we have options available for defence and deterrence. Although Trident submarines, missiles and warheads have years of use left, they cannot last indefinitely.

Some who object on ethical grounds say the UK should never be a country that is willing to threaten or use nuclear weapons against an adversary, even in the most extreme circumstances and that the humanitarian consequences of doing that would be so grotesque as to be unfathomable.

Angry Sentiment

Overly simplistic unsound health effects

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