The UK Parliament will be voting tonight on the principle of replacing Trident nuclear weapons system. It is a symbolic commitment, unconnected to any contracts or procurement timetable. Meanwhile, the government commitment to leave the EU is stoking calls for a second Scottish referendum. As the UK’s nuclear weapons submarines have their only base in Scotland, voting for Trident before coming to an agreement about the UK’s future makes no sense.
Analysis
US Nuclear Weapons out of Turkey – NOW
The recent coup attempt in Turkey raises a number of highly troubling questions, not least of which regarding the ongoing security situation surrounding 50-some US B61 nuclear gravity bombs held at Incirlik Air Base.
The UK and its Role in the World
The fifth of BASIC’s 2016 Parliamentary Briefing series relating to the Trident debate focuses on the UK’s role in multilateral nuclear disarmament.
New Strategies for UK Leadership on Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament
The fourth of BASIC’s 2016 Parliamentary Briefing series relating to the Trident debate focuses on the UK’s role in multilateral nuclear disarmament.
CASD: Options for Trident Patrolling
The third of BASIC's 2016 Parliamentary Briefing series relating to the Trident debate focuses on the issue of continuous-at-sea-deterrence (CASD).
David Cameron announced at the NATO summit in Warsaw on Saturday, “a parliamentary vote [to be held] on July 18 to confirm MP's support for the renewal of four nuclear submarines capable of providing around the clock cover”. Theresa May is expected to follow through with this decision.
A Primer on Trident’s Cyber Vulnerabilities
The second of BASIC’s 2016 Parliamentary Briefing series relating to the Trident debate is a primer on Trident’s cyber vulnerabilities. Cyber threats impact both critical civilian infrastructure and all military systems dependent upon digital control and communications.
The Inescapable Net: Unmanned Systems in Anti-Submarine Warfare
The first of BASIC’s 2016 Parliamentary Briefing series relating to the Trident debate outlines the state of drone technology today relevant to anti-submarine warfare. Author David Hambling uses open sources to explore how small drone technology will impact the future detection and tracking of submarines.
European Leadership Network on the Successor SSBN
In the wake of the parliamentary vote over a potential Trident successor, Former Assistant Chief of Defence Staff in the Ministry of Defence, John Gower, cited BASIC's three year independent cross-party enquiry on the issue. Gower acknowledged the balanced and inclusive approach BASIC adopted when undertaking the research.