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Grown Up | 05.07.2005 08:26
The British nuclear deterrent has helped maintain Britain's security for nearly 60 years. Information released at the end of the Cold War showed it was the major factor in deterring a Soviet attack on the UK.
A credible nuclear deterrent depends upon the ability to threaten an assured and effective response to aggression. The Trident II D5 missile has a range of over 4,000 nautical miles and an accuracy, which can be measured in metres. Each missile is technically capable of delivering up to 12 warheads, enabling a number of different targets to be engaged, and each Vanguard class submarine has 16 missile tubes. The missile is ejected from the submarine by high-pressure gas and only when it reaches the surface does the rocket system actually fire.
Ballistic missile submarines must at all times have a robust and reliable link with their chain of command on the mainland. A comprehensive network of communications installations connects Britain's nuclear fleet with the Commander-in Chief at Northwood, the Secretary of State for Defence in London and the Prime Minister in order to authorise the use of nuclear weapons and keep them under firm political control.
those who protest against Britain's nuclear weapons are at best an irritation for the people who work at Faslane, at worst they are a major threat to our national security.
A credible nuclear deterrent depends upon the ability to threaten an assured and effective response to aggression. The Trident II D5 missile has a range of over 4,000 nautical miles and an accuracy, which can be measured in metres. Each missile is technically capable of delivering up to 12 warheads, enabling a number of different targets to be engaged, and each Vanguard class submarine has 16 missile tubes. The missile is ejected from the submarine by high-pressure gas and only when it reaches the surface does the rocket system actually fire.
Ballistic missile submarines must at all times have a robust and reliable link with their chain of command on the mainland. A comprehensive network of communications installations connects Britain's nuclear fleet with the Commander-in Chief at Northwood, the Secretary of State for Defence in London and the Prime Minister in order to authorise the use of nuclear weapons and keep them under firm political control.
those who protest against Britain's nuclear weapons are at best an irritation for the people who work at Faslane, at worst they are a major threat to our national security.
Grown Up
Comments
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a major threat
05.07.2005 09:08
you're a major threat to the british intelligence
paolo
Nuclear Deterrent
05.07.2005 09:39
Macca
realism required
05.07.2005 09:42
F.Aslane
reports are coming in of ill thought-out opinions on indymedia
05.07.2005 09:57
second, if our national security is so easily threatened by such protesters as clowns and musicians, among others, is it really so very secure?
simon frith
simon frith
Infiltration of Indymedia by Right Wing Reactionaries
05.07.2005 10:24
Grownup said "those who protest against Britain's nuclear weapons are at best an irritation for the people who work at Faslane, at worst they are a major threat to our national security"
I was under the impression that the cold war ended 16 years ago. Who is going to threatern us Saddam with his Weapons of Mass Destruction?
Then I thought maybe Grownup was suffering from a similar malase that affected a character in the film "Goodbye Lenin" who wasn't aware that the Berlin Wall had been dismantled and an elaborate charade was concocted to keep up the pretence.
Grownup also mentions the chain of command that keeps Britain's nuclear weapons under political control but fails to mention the chain of command ends in the White House. In fact without George, Tony can't fire anything. So our deterent isn't particularly independent. A point I hope Tony considers over the coming months as its time to renew Trident.
I do in fact agree with Grownup that during the early days of the cold war there was probably a deterrent effect to deter agression from the Soviet Union. However those days have long past. We live in a very different world and the money could be better spent (On Africa even ?).
Finally I'd like to comment on the couple of "right wing" comments appearing on Indymedia. I have no objections to these comments but I do feel they have their place, such as the letters page of the Sun. Maybe Indymedia need to institute an authentication policy before people can post to the site. A simple IQ test would weed out Sun readers.
Cynic.
Cynic
Accuracy can be measured in metres?
05.07.2005 10:40
Pascal