It wasn’t quite a throwback to the Cold War era of rowdy Commons debates and campaigners chained to the gates of Greenham Common. But last week’s rebellion over the UK’s nuclear arsenal was still sizeable. It also drew a major parallel with the past: ministers, officials and the public have little idea how much the controversial nuclear deterrent will cost.
How the estimated Trident costs break down
| New submarines | £11bn—£14bn |
| New missiles | £2bn—£3bn |
| New Infrastructure | £2bn—£3bn |
| Total procurement costs | £15bn—£20bn |
| In-service costs | |
| (30 years at 4%–6% of MoD budget) | £45bn—£66bn |
| Total ‘new system’ costs | £60bn—£86bn |
| Other related costs | |
| Extension of current missile life | £250m |
| Extension of current submarines’ life | £200m+ |
| Decommissioning current subs | £1.75bn |
| Upgrading Aldermaston | £1bn+ |
| Additional missile costs after 2042 | £1.5bn |
| Total potential costs | £64.7bn—£90.7bn |
Sources: Ministry of Defence, Hansard, Greenpeace