The UK's coalition government insists that independence for Scotland would not result in the UK abandoning its nuclear weapons even though finding alternatives to the current nuclear bases on the Clyde estuary would have a “huge cost” and would be an “enormous exercise”.
Dreadnought latest news
The Dreadnought submarines are planned to replace the current fleet of Vanguard submarines in the early 2030s. They will carry nuclear-armed Trident missiles and be powered by a PWR3 nuclear reactor.
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Nuclear risks rule Devonport out as an option if Trident quits Scotland
The UK's Trident nuclear submarines could not be rebased at the Devonport naval dockyard in Plymouth for safety reasons if an independent Scotland orders the fleet to leave, according to a report from Scottish CND.
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Ministry of Defence outlines state of play on Trident replacement programme
First annual report on submarine programme published.
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Further £350m on design contracts for Successor submarines
Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has announced a further £350 million worth of funding for the next stage of design work on the 'Successor' submarines which the government hopes will replace the current Vanguard class Trident submarines.
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BAE – EADS merger raises Trident concerns for MoD
A planned multi-billion pound merger between two major military contractors has raised questions about how key government projects such as the Trident nuclear weapons programme would be managed. The Ministry of Defence is said to be demanding safeguards over the Trident programme as a condition of the planned merger between BAE Systems, which is currently […]
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NIS Update: June 2012
TWO-YEAR BLUEPRINT PUBLISHED FOR REMOVING TRIDENT FROM SCOTLAND
Scottish ministers have welcomed a practical guide, drawn up by the Scottish Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (SCND), on how to dismantle the Trident nuclear weapons system and remove it from Scotland within two years of independence.
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Ministry of Defence awards £1.1bn contract to Rolls-Royce for future submarines
The Ministry of Defence has announced that it has signed a contract worth £1.1 billion with Rolls-Royce Power Engineering to support the future production of nuclear propulsion plants for the Royal Navy’s future submarine fleet. The contract covers a programme of work to rebuild the Rolls-Royce site at Raynesway in Derby, where submarine reactor components […]
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NIS Update: May 2012
DESIGN CONTRACTS AWARDED FOR TRIDENT REPLACEMENT SUBMARINES
Contracts worth £350m have been signed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for design of 'Successor' Trident replacement submarines.
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NIS Update: March 2012
HMS VENGEANCE ENTERS DEVONPORT FOR REFIT
Babcock International Group has been awarded a contract by the Ministry of Defence for a £350 million three-and-a-half year refit of the Trident submarine HMS Vengeance at the Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth.
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The virtual option
The BASIC Trident Commission was set up almost a year ago to investigate the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons policy and the issue of Trident renewal and, better late than never, I've just got round to submitting Nuclear Information Service's evidence to the Commission.
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NIS Update: November – December 2011
TRIDENT VALUE FOR MONEY REVIEW PUBLISHED IN RESPONSE TO FOI REQUEST
A redacted copy of Trident Value For Money Review documents has recently been released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request made by Greenpeace UK. The review took place in 2010 as part of the Strategic Defence and Security Review process but has never been officially published by the government. -
NIS Update: October 2011
PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON SUBMARINE DISMANTLING OPTIONS TO COMMENCE
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced that a 16 week period of public consultation on options for its Submarine Dismantling Project will commence on Friday 28 October 2011.