July 27, 2006 :: The Guardian :: News
The British government indicated on Wednesday, July 26, that it will maintain its existing fleet of Trident submarines rather than invest in a new nuclear missile system. The remarks were in response to a report by the Commons defense committee which chastised the government for not explaining “the purpose and continuing relevance of nuclear deterrence.” The government replied that it “would be possible” to continue operating the existing submarines beyond the original timescale. The submarines were designed to last approximately 25 years, which means they would start being withdrawn from service late in the next decade. The government said yesterday that the vessels could be kept on until the mid-2020s, “albeit with gradually increasing cost and some increasing risk of reduced availability.” The alternative would be to replace the Trident missile system and four submarines, which could cost as much as £25 billion.
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