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Strange life of Trident nuclear submarine crew

instructions include allying with the US, travelling to Australia if Europe has been destroyed and, ultimately, firing the weapons.

Life on Trident: three months under the waves with 48 nuclear warheads    Patrick Barkham, The Guardian,  20 May 2010 “…..Powered by a nuclear reactor, the submarines are almost silent and virtually undetectable. While on patrol, direct communication with navy bosses back home ceases, so potential enemies cannot intercept any signals. The crew are almost completely cut off from the outside world………

If there was nuclear war and the captain was unable to communicate with base, there is a personal letter on board written by the prime minister to the captain. The contents are top secret but it is thought that the instructions include allying with the US, travelling to Australia if Europe has been destroyed and, ultimately, firing the weapons. The missiles cannot be launched by one man alone; the crew are not told what they are aiming at………

Even in peace time, however, this is a risky business. In 2009, HMS Vanguard collided with the French nuclear submarine Le Triomphant. And the unexpected can always strike. ……Life on Trident: three months under the waves with 48 nuclear warheads | UK news | The Guardian

May 21, 2010 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | general | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear secrecy, nuclear weapons