The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Project Astraea, the UK’s new sovereign nuclear warhead, is progressing as part of the Strategic Defence Review 2025 programme.
In a written parliamentary response, Defence Minister Luke Pollard said that “funding for the Astraea programme is included within the £15 billion investment in the sovereign nuclear warhead programme this Parliament,” which also covers sustaining the existing Mk4A warhead and modernising infrastructure at the Atomic Weapons Establishment.
Pollard added that he was withholding the projected cost of Astraea “for the purpose of safeguarding our national security.”
Project Astraea, designated A21/Mk7, s being designed, developed, and manufactured in the UK by the Atomic Weapons Establishment, which was nationalised in 2021. It will replace the current Holbrook warhead used on Trident II D5 missiles carried by the Vanguard-class submarines and their Dreadnought-class successors.
The system is being developed in coordination with the US W93 programme, sharing certain non-nuclear components such as the Mk7 aeroshell under established treaty frameworks to ensure continued compatibility with the Trident system.
The Strategic Defence Review 2025 stated that the sovereign warhead programme will support around 9,000 jobs across the Defence Nuclear Enterprise. Astraea is expected to enter service in the 2030s, when the Holbrook warhead reaches the end of its operational life.
According to official documents, Astraea will incorporate improved safety and performance measures, including insensitive high explosives and technologies developed through the UK–US Joint Technology Demonstrator. It will also be the first British nuclear warhead fielded without live nuclear testing, in line with the UK’s obligations under the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.
Keir would never agree to it, but Nigel might. Drill a deep hole in South Georgia & do a single full power shot. Huge hoo-ha for a few weeks, but as long as there were no follow up shots, it would soon be forgotten.
Would the US agree to that?
To achieve what?
Why? They can prove the device will work without an actual nuclear event.
Rumour has it, we did exactly this under Scotland earlier this morning.
‘Nationalised’ in this case refers to switching from being a government owned and managed organisation to a government owned, privately managed organisation (1993) and then back to a government owned and managed organisation again. What the endless reorganising achieves is open to debate. It did of course create contractual headaches regarding the employment status of the staff.
mankind is an evil breed spending its life looking for more ways to destroy itself still it gives us time something to do.
mankind is an evil breed spending its life looking for more ways to destroy itself still it gives us time something to do. stuff the u. s the less we have to do with the arrogant, gun obsessed, racist,, nation the better.
Andy, did an American nick your flag ? 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️🏳️🏴🏴☠️🚩 (these are the only ones avaliable on the Emoji list now)
I shit you not !
All Nations Flags have been banned !!!!
I blame all the “Middle aged White English Men” (G Neville.)