The US and UK have placed an order for the production of Trident guidance units.
The contract notice is as follows:
“The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Cambridge, Massachusetts, is awarded a $191,029,190 fixed-price-incentive-fee contract for the production of TRIDENT II D5 Strategic Weapon System MK6 Guidance Equivalent Units.
This contract contains options which, if exercised, would bring the total contract value to $391,767,950. Work will be performed in Cambridge, Massachusetts (30.5 percent); Clearwater, Florida (20.6 percent); Pittsfield, Massachusetts (43.2 percent); and McKinney, Texas (5.7 percent). The work is expected to be completed by July 31, 2022. If the option is exercised, work will continue through July 31, 2023. Fiscal 2019 weapons procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $189,489,000; and United Kingdom funds in the amount of $1,540,190 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year.
This contract was awarded on a sole-source basis in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1)&(4) and was previously synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunity website. Strategic Systems Programs, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00030-19-C-0008).”
Recently, the two nations also spent $560m on Trident missile production and support.
Aim a few at some of these poxy Spanish ‘warships’ t
Just send a few RN MARINES, that should fix the problem.
…it did last time…
Why are we buying this system? We are spending £30 billion + on four subs that will carry a dozen missiles .
When the navy can’t even afford to replace the type 23 on a 1 for 1 basis , is struggling to crew the ships it already has , its shore bases and accomadation are in a state of disrepair and its pay structure needs a total overhaul and a major increase.
We need to realise if we cannot afford this boondog.
Because we need something to shove in Putin’s ass
Why are we buying this system?
I take your other points but do you want to rely on someone like Trump, or whoever equally crazy who may follow ?
The UK is buying the system in order to have a credible independent nuclear deterrent.
But it is not independent, Tony Blair let the cat out of the bag when he admitted that the UK could only launch a nuclear strike with the permission of the president of the United States.
Is that so? Does POTUS have some sort of abort button that negates the NOTC, CCC, onto CTF 345, through the Fibre Optic links into Satcom or VLF waves to the people on board who actually enact the commands from above. Or, if no command from above follow procedures and use initiative? I think it more likely that what the PM implied was that it is unlikely such an act would be taken alone, as in the case of nuclear confrontation the situation by itself would have the involvement of the US and NATO allies such as France. Britain targets… Read more »
I believe the UK has its own targeting strategy in case the US is out of contact or the National Command Authority unavailable. But you are correct in that its highly unlikely the UK would act alone.
Yes it believe it does.
That has been shown to be totally false. Our Trident missiles are controlled and fired by the UK without permission from the US.
100% TRUE. i’ve researched this one extensively.
Not true. The UK couldn’t operate the system independently because there are no facilities to maintain the missiles in the UK. But it can be fired independently. There are no PAL systems to prevent the missiles being launched. If the captain & his xo agree they can fire the missiles without any permission from the government.
https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/controls-trident-brief-look-operation-britains-nuclear-weapons/
The missiles do not need the permission of the US to be fired. The only involvement of the US in the UK system is the participation od a US Navy Rear Admiral along with Flag Officer Sea Training when a submarine performs a live launch of a Trident SLBM from a UK SSBN since the launch takes place in the Atlantic test range of the USN. The RN picks up new missiles at Kings Bay in Georgia on the Atlantic coast then goes to Rosyth for the warheads. There is a small RN presence at Kings Bay, and a larger… Read more »
Rosyth for warheads?
You mean the RNAD at Coulport surely?
Indeed.I meant to type HMNB Clyde, which includes Coulport.
Of course.