Recent deadly military incidents and an ongoing border conflict between China and India has led…
In depth thinking
BASIC provides expert analysis and commentary on selective contemporary debates in strategic affairs. To do this, we engage diverse perspectives, encourage empathy across states, and broaden the context of debate. We have an established reputation for non-partisan, non-judgmental, cross-cultural engagement and for seeking common ground.
We aim to make our writing readable and interesting to both experts and the general public, cutting through jargon and democratising debate. If you’d like to write for us, contact us here.
To browse our analysis thematically, visit our Programmes.
Recent Analysis
Read the latest analysis from BASIC staff and consultants:
Hubris, Hypocrisy or Hedge?
The Integrated Review
In just 76 words highlighted below across three statements in the nuclear deterrent section of the 2021 Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy (IR), the UK government reversed its policy of gradual reduction of the variety, number and salience of its nuclear weapons in place through successive governments since the end of the Cold War.
Biden and No First Use: an Opportunity for the Taking
President Obama considered it, and as Vice-President, Biden advocated for it. Will the Biden Administration now commit to a No First Use policy?
Stepping Back into the Dark Ages: Making Sense of the UK Decision to Expand its Nuclear Arsenal
British diplomats now will be in the dog house, and have a tough time ahead of them.
The Nuclear Weapons Dimensions of the 2021 Integrated Review: A First Look
The Johnson Government has set a decisive course away from the United Kingdom’s three decade-long trend of successive nuclear reductions and increasing transparency.
Programme on Nuclear Responsibilities Launches Major Report at the UN First Committee 2020
The BASIC-ICCS launch of ‘Nuclear Responsibilities’ hosted a line-up of expert speakers and a Q&A session to discuss the aims and achievements of the Programme.
THIS MONTH’S THEME
The Trident Question
The UK’s continued possession of Trident is not assured. The programme faces running over far budget with knock-on effects to other areas of the budget, multiple emerging technological threats such as cyber weapons, and political risks including Scottish devolution. Each of these factors underlines the need for reasoned, respectful and open-minded debate on the future of the UK’s possession of nuclear weapons, and a willingness to explore alternative pathways to maintain British national security.
Report: How much does the UK spend on nuclear weapons?
This report draws upon a mixture of publicly available data and estimates in order to outline both the current operating costs of the Trident nuclear weapon system, as well as the estimated costs of the current plans to renew the UK’s nuclear arsenal.
Report: (Dis)Continuous Deterrence: Challenges to Britain’s Nuclear Doctrine
Despite strong rhetorical support on part of the government for Continuous At-Sea Deterrence (CASD), a real risk exists that CASD could be interrupted in the early 2030s.
Report: Blowing up the Budget: The Cost Risk of Trident to UK Defence
BASIC’s new report illustrates in clear detail the cost risk of Trident renewal to the UK’s Defence budget; Dreadnought’s through life costs are likely to be between £110-114bn.
Report: Hacking UK Trident: A Growing Threat
This paper reviews the growing potential for cyber-attack on the UK’s operational fleet of Vanguard-class submarines armed with nuclear-tipped Trident II D-5 ballistic missiles, and some of the implications for strategic stability.
UK revokes ICJ jurisdiction over its nuclear weapons
The UK Government has inhibited the International Court of Justice (ICJ) from ruling on cases about nuclear weapons or nuclear disarmament, including if it uses Trident against another country.
The Implications of the Trident Test Failure
Executive Director of BASIC, Paul Ingram, recently authored a piece in the Huffington Post in response to the late surfacing of the June Trident test failure. Paul explores the inescapable truth that human and technological errors could occur at any time and heavily questions the governments attempts to conceal this latest failing, which in a real-life situation could have been catastrophic.
The Trident Commission: Concluding Report
The concluding report from the Trident Commission is aimed to contribute to an informed and deeper debate on Trident renewal that focuses on national security in its widest sense. We are experiencing rapid strategic change in this century and the relevance of our major defence investments to tomorrow’s threats must be analysed across a wide range of considerations.
Current Programmes
BASIC believes in making progress on nuclear disarmament, arms control, and non-proliferation through multiple complementary approaches. We continuously develop our programmes – streams of research – through sustained engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, collectively searching for the art of the possible.
Our current programmes are listed below. Browse our current programmes page by clicking here.
Archive Programmes
BASIC believes in making progress on nuclear disarmament, arms control, and non-proliferation through multiple complementary approaches. We continuously develop our programmes – streams of research – through sustained engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, collectively searching for the art of the possible.
Our archive programmes are listed below. Browse our archive programmes page by clicking here.
