The UK Defence Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, argued against the cut in submarines on BBC Radio Scotland last night. He maintained that the UK requires all four submarines to provide a continuous at sea deterrent (CASD); and that to reduce that number reduces the United Kingdom’s ability to deploy that deterrent. His comments follow speculation that the fleet would be cut from four to three boats. The article goes on to quote those with opposing views, including one who argues that the government’s own security review found that the United Kingdom was far more at threat from terrorism, cyber attack or even natural disaster than nuclear threats.
To read this article and see the interview click here.
Related reading:
- It will be too late to halt Trident’s replacement if we don’t talk now
Dr Ian Davis, commentary in The Guardian, February 23, 2011
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/feb/23/nuclear-weapons-trident-replacement-review - Liam Fox risks Lib-Dem backlash with steel order for new nuclear sub
Nicholas Cecil, London Evening Standard, February 17, 2011
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23924235-liam-fox-risks-lib-dem-backlash-with-steel-order-for-new-nuclear-sub.do
Also visit BASIC’s Trident Commission pages:
https://basicint.org/tridentcommission