How many trident subs

Official documents released at the end of last year quietly confirmed that the current phase of the Dreadnought programme had been put back to March , although the update was not highlighted and it was only spotted by a pressure group.

An SNP member of the defence select committee has now called for it to hold an inquiry into the Trident replacement programme, complaining about a lack of transparency. It did not say that this amounted to a one-year delay to the sprawling programme.

This was spotted by David Cullen, of the Nuclear Information Service, who recalled a promise made a year earlier to conclude the work in March The Dreadnought programme, first approved by Labour in , has been repeatedly delayed by governments since.

MoD officials told the Guardian that the delay to phase 2 — which sets the commercial and approval framework for the rest of the project — would not affect the final delivery date of the first replacement submarine.

The four existing Trident submarines were originally built to last 25 years, meaning they would have been out of service between and What do they want to replace it with? A very similar submarine-based system. Does CND have any ideas about the cost? Who will this new Trident defend us against then? Surely it is an insurance policy for an uncertain future?

What do you mean? Why not just cut down the destructive power we now have to a lower level? Have any countries actually got rid of their nuclear weapons? How many countries now have nuclear weapons? At least eight, and possibly nine. They have around 15, nuclear warheads between them. What does the rest of the world think about us having nuclear weapons? Is that the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty? Yes and it agreed three things: That every signatory is entitled to have civilian nuclear energy.

That those without the bomb at the time would not try to get it. That those five countries then with the bomb would negotiate the elimination of all nuclear weapons. Are the countries with nuclear weapons in violation of the NPT? Has the International Court of Justice had anything to say about all this? How does that ruling affect Trident replacement? Will other countries take action?

It also makes it illegal to assist or encourage anyone to engage in these activities The UK government refused to participate in the negotiations and even issued a statement attacking the treaty. Or, if you are already a subscriber Sign in. Other options. Close drawer menu Financial Times International Edition.

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