This month we launched our new website, which has been designed and re-focused on our Getting to Zero programme.
UK
Prominent Europeans call for change in NATO nuclear policies
Prominent European statespeople who form a sub-group of the European Leaders Network have released a letter calling on NATO to make “disarmament a core element of its approach to providing security.” In their letter, they encourage the Alliance to “review its entire nuclear policy and posture with a view to facilitating progress in arms control, in a manner consistent with effective burden sharing and alliance cohesion, effective deterrence and a demonstrable commitment to collective defence.”
A Progressive Nuclear Policy: Rethinking Continuous-at-sea deterrence
The United Kingdom has maintained unbroken nuclear weapons patrols since 1968. The rationale for this doctrine of continuous deterrence has been based on several pillars that are irrelevant in today’s environment. Rather than an absolute need for continuous deterrent, there is instead a great opportunity for Britain to take the lead as the most progressive of the nuclear weapons states by reducing the readiness and size of its
strategic force. Article originally published in RUSI Journal, Vol. 155, No. 2.
Please select the PDF icon below to read the full article.
Trident expected to be delayed until after next UK general election
Britain's Liberal Democrat armed forces minister, Nick Harvey, indicates that the final decision on the replacement of Trident will be delayed until October 2015 – after the next general election. This would allow the Liberal Democrats and their Conservative coalition partners to do battle over the future of the submarine nuclear missile system in the election campaign.
www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/sep/22/trident-decision-delay-expected-2015.
Latest on the Trident replacement delay
Suggestions surfaced publicly today that the UK Ministry of Defence is considering a delay to the main gate for Trident replacement – the point at which a decision is taken to start actual construction of the submarines – until 2015/16, after the next election.
BASIC understands that these discussions have been ongoing throughout August, and that the decision has been made on the basis of accountability and the political context.
The thinking goes something like this.
Dropping nuclear submarine policy has benefits
Paul Ingram wrote the lead letter in the Financial Times, arguing that “there are in fact substantial financial benefits” to ending the requirement that the United Kingdom maintain a nuclear submarine at sea at all times. “Not only would the current running costs be reduced, but so too would the total substantial capital costs…”
Read the full letter on the website of the Financial Times:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/afb28048-c056-11df-8a81-00144feab49a.html
Countdown to Zero
The new film, Countdown to Zero, highlights the global nuclear threat and spells out, in chilling terms, the danger facing everyone if nuclear weapons end up in the hands of terrorists.
View the Countdown to Zero trailer.
Time to reassess Trident options amid funding crisis: BASIC report
It is time to reassess options for the replacement of the Trident nuclear missile submarines in the light of indications that the capital cost of doing so could run to 28 billion pounds over the next 10-15 years, according to a new report by the British American Security Information Council (BASIC).