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.
Programmes
NATO and Trump
On 25th May, NATO Leaders met in Brussels to discuss the future of the alliance. With Trumpian panache, the US President took the opportunity to scold his European allies for not spending enough on defence.
What’s next for the Nuclear Ban Treaty?
The official draft text of a treaty to ban nuclear weapons is likely to be published in the next two weeks (15-26 May 2017).
Should the UK adopt a Restricted First Use policy?
In January 2017, Democratic Senator Ed Markey and Representative Ted Lieu introduced the Restricting First Use of Nuclear Weapons Act 2017 in both houses of Congress. Should the UK follow suit?
30 Ways The UK Must Lead In Multilateral Disarmament
Executive Director of BASIC, Paul Ingram, recently authored a piece in the Huffington Post during the launch of BASIC’s new report with UNA-UK, Meaningful Multilateralism: 30 Nuclear Disarmament Proposals for the Next UK Government.
Report: Meaningful Multilateralism: 30 Nuclear Disarmament Proposals for the Next UK Government
In Meaningful Multilateralism, BASIC and UNA–UK offer 30 multilateral disarmament proposals for the incoming UK Government after the General Election on the 8th June, themed according to three types of leadership the UK has previously shown in disarmament.
Budgeting for Bombs: The Difficulties of Getting Nuclear Modernisation through Congress
On Monday 17th April, US Secretary of Defence James Mattis announced that the United States Nuclear Posture Review had officially begun and will be completed by the end of the year.
US – North Korea: An Unnecessary Crisis
Let no one say the Trump Administration has not been creative in foreign policy in its first 100 days. It has created a full-blown crisis over North Korea and it is sustaining it.
The crisis was not caused by North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme. It was caused by what the U.S. Administration says about it. “We won’t allow North Korea to develop nuclear weapons and long-range missiles,” said President Trump. Vice-President Mike Pence warns North Korea not to test America’s resolve.