Trident missile launch flop prompts questions over UK’s nuclear deterrent

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The authorities is going through questions over the effectiveness of Britain’s nuclear deterrent after a take a look at launch of the UK’s Trident nuclear missile failed, crashing again into the ocean near the submarine that fired it.

The unarmed Trident 2 missile was launched from the nuclear-powered Vanguard, as a part of last assessments following a £500m overhaul, earlier than it returns to patrol service.

“It left the submarine but it just went plop, right next to them,” a supply mentioned.

A Trident missile being fired from a British submarine

(AP)

The launch was carried out off the east coast of Florida on 30 January however has solely simply been revealed.

The failure, at a time of heightened worldwide tensions and when the readiness of Britain’s navy is below scrutiny, is embarrassing for ministers. Another Trident missile veered off target when being examined in 2016.

Defence secretary Grant Shapps was on board the 150-metre submarine on the time of the latest failure, and First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key was additionally reportedly there.

The Labour social gathering has sought assurances from Rishi Sunak within the wake of the incident, calling the missile take a look at failure “concerning”.

But Mr Shapps mentioned the federal government retained “absolute confidence” within the UK’s nuclear deterrent.

The “anomaly” had no implications for the UK’s potential to deploy nuclear weapons, he insisted.

It comes simply 10 days after the departure of the UK’s flagship plane service for a significant Nato train was postponed after an unspecified “issue” was present in last checks.

Last month, Mr Shapps mentioned the UK was in a “pre-war” part.

However, former TUC chief Frances O’Grady mentioned the imaginative and prescient of Grant Shapps on board appeared like “a terrible metaphor for what is happening in the country”.

“We know about the squeeze on budgets; we have 25,000 fewer troops than in 2010; we know how important the defence sector is for jobs, but lots of procurement failures too,” she informed BBC Politics Live.

“It feels like this is a time, especially in a world that feels really unsafe, where we need a proper strategic review and a look at what are the real threats we face and the best way to meet them.”

The Trident missile had been as a result of land hundreds of miles away, within the Atlantic Ocean, between Brazil and West Africa.

It was efficiently propelled into the air by compressed fuel within the launch pipe, however the first-stage boosters didn’t ignite and the missile crashed again into the water.

Former Royal Navy warfare officer Chris Parry mentioned the missile operated accurately the procedural error meant a command abort needed to occur for security causes.

Matthew Savill, director of Military Sciences on the Royal United Services Institute, a defence and safety assume tank, mentioned the Vanguard fleet was working past its anticipated service life.

“They’re working on the basis that the Vanguard submarines are going to be at least a decade beyond their original service lives,” he mentioned. “And that creates stresses and strains on the system.”

HMS Vengeance, one other Royal Navy Vanguard class Trident ballistic missile submarine

(Reuters)

Shadow defence secretary John Healey mentioned: “Reports of a Trident test failure are concerning. The defence secretary will want to reassure Parliament that this test has no impact on the effectiveness of the UK’s deterrent operations.

“Labour’s support for the UK’s nuclear deterrent is total. We recognise the special service of those who’ve maintained our continuous at sea deterrence for over 50 years.”

Mr Shapps mentioned the take a look at had been the fruits of a “demonstration and shakedown operation” to gauge the efficiency of Vanguard’s weapons and crew after the refit.

He mentioned the operation reaffirmed the effectiveness of the UK’s nuclear deterrent, that the submarine and crew had been “successfully certified” prepared for operation, however an anomaly occurred that was “event-specific”.

“There are no implications for the reliability of the wider Trident missile systems and stockpiles,” he mentioned.

“Nor are there any implications for our ability to fire our nuclear weapons, should the circumstances arise in which we need to do so.”

The prime minister’s official spokesman mentioned the federal government had “complete confidence” in Britain’s nuclear deterrent.

He repeated the Ministry of Defence’s rationalization that there had been an “anomaly” however mentioned, for nationwide safety causes, he was unable to broaden on what that meant.

“There was this specific anomaly but we are confident that the anomaly was specific to the test and that there are no wider implications,” he mentioned.

Britain’s nuclear deterrent is offered by 4 nuclear-powered submarines geared up with the American-built Trident ballistic missile system, manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The warheads are in-built Britain.

Britain and the US say there have been greater than 190 profitable assessments of Trident, which might be fired at targets as much as 4,000 miles away and might journey at greater than 13,000 miles an hour, in accordance with the Royal Navy.

In the Nineteen Eighties the UK spent £12.52billion on buying Trident – the equal of £21 billion in 2022-23 costs, in accordance with figures from the House of Commons Library.

It prices round £3billion a 12 months to function.

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