from
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/21/europe/trident-missile-uk-failure-intl/index.html

UK nuclear missile test fails for second time in eight years
By Lauren Kent, CNN
3 minute read
Updated 8:08 AM EST, Wed February 21, 2024

The nuclear-armed submarine HMS Vanguard pictured at a UK naval base
near Glasgow, Scotland, in December 2006.
The nuclear-armed submarine HMS Vanguard pictured at a UK naval base
near Glasgow, Scotland, in December 2006. David Moir/Reuters/File
London
CNN
—
A British nuclear missile test launch failed at a site off the coast of
Florida, marking the second time in eight years that the country’s
Trident 2 ballistic missiles have malfunctioned during trials.

An “anomaly occurred” during the test on board the nuclear-powered
submarine HMS Vanguard, a UK Ministry of Defense spokesperson said
Wednesday in a statement, adding, “We are confident that the anomaly was
event specific, and therefore there are no implications for the
reliability of the wider Trident missile systems and stockpile.”

Britain’s Trident nuclear deterrent system suffered an earlier failure
off the coast of Florida in June 2016, a US defense official with direct
knowledge of the incident previously told CNN.

The latest incident, first reported by The Sun newspaper, occurred
during an exercise on January 30 near Florida.

A source told CNN that the Sun reporting was accurate and the submarine
crew completed the drill perfectly using a dummy warhead. The Trident 2
missile and dummy warhead were propelled into the air but the
first-stage boosters of the missile did not ignite and it subsequently
sank into the ocean.

The fault was specific to the test kit and that the launch would have
likely been successful if it had occurred out on a patrol, using a real
nuclear warhead, according to the source.

The Ministry of Defense confirmed that UK Minister of Defense Grant
Shapps was on board the HMS Vanguard at the time of the test anomaly.
The First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key was also on board.

Shapps said in a statement released Wednesday that the test anomaly has
“no implications for the reliability of the wider Trident missile
systems and stockpiles. Nor are there any implications for our ability
to fire our nuclear weapons, should the circumstances arise in which we
need to do so.”

“The UK’s nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure and effective,” The
Ministry of Defense spokesperson added.

“HMS Vanguard and her crew have been proven fully capable of operating
the UK’s Continuous At-Sea Deterrent, passing all tests during a recent
demonstration and shakedown operation (DASO) - a routine test to confirm
that the submarine can return to service following deep maintenance
work,” the spokesperson said. “The test has reaffirmed the effectiveness
of the UK’s nuclear deterrent, in which we have absolute confidence.”

A Trident II missile is launched by the US navy during a test in 1989.
A Trident II missile is launched by the US navy during a test in 1989.
Phil Sandlin/AP/File
The opposition Labour Party called the reports of the Trident test
failure “concerning.”

“The Defence Secretary will want to reassure Parliament that this test
has no impact on the effectiveness of the UK’s deterrent operations,”
Labour’s shadow Defense Secretary John Healey said.

The UK has four nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, each of
which is armed with American-built Trident 2 D5 missiles, according to
the Royal Navy. The missiles can be fired at targets up to 4,000 miles away.

The annual cost of the UK’s Trident II D5 missile inventory, which it
shares with the United States at a facility in Georgia, was about $15.1
million [£12 million] as of 2015, according to a House of Commons
research briefing.

Annual running costs of the UK’s nuclear deterrent are estimated at 6%
of the country’s defense budget, or about $3.79 billion for 2023/2024,
according to the House of Commons Library report.

The current Vanguard-class submarines are expected to be replaced by
four new Dreadnought-class submarines, as soon as the early 2030s. The
UK has set aside between $39.1 billion and $51.7 billion for the new,
upgraded submarines, the report said.

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