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UK’s Trident nuclear fleet costs soaring above 25 billion pounds

New Trident fleet cost will top £25bn Defence secretary Liam Fox announces new funding but says Lib Dems will oversee review into ‘alternatives’ Richard Norton-Taylor and Allegra Stratton  guardian.co.uk,   18 May 2011, The cost of a new fleet of Trident nuclear missile submarines could more than double to £25bn by the time they are built, the defence secretary, Liam Fox, told MPs.

The figure was released as the Ministry of Defence announced significant new funding for a new Trident system even though, at the Lib Dems’ behest, a final decision is not due to be taken until after the next general election.

The figure does not include the price of warheads, the running costs, and the bill for leasing Trident missiles from the US.

In a concession to the Liberal Democrats, Fox announced that officials will draw up a study into alternative ways of delivering nuclear weapons. However, he made it clear that, in his view, only ballistic missiles on Trident-class submarines could provide the UK with a “minimal credible nuclear deterrent”……..Fox announced that a further £3bn will be allocated to designing a new fleet of nuclear missile submarines, in addition to the £900m already spent.

The new fleet of Trident submarines would be powered by a nuclear propulsion system known as the Pressurised Water Reactor 3, Fox said……….
New Trident fleet cost will top £25bn | Politics | The Guardian

May 19, 2011 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | weapons and war