nuclear-news

The News That Matters about the Nuclear Industry Fukushima Chernobyl Mayak Three Mile Island Atomic Testing Radiation Isotope

Cut back UK Trident nuclear programme – says defence expert

UK should consider scaling back nuclear deterrent, says think tank – VIDEO http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/9970194/UK-should-consider-scaling-back-nuclear-deterrent-says-think-tank.html

The cost and commitment of replacing Trident with a like-for-like system means the Government should consider what the “most necessary element” of our deterrent is, says Hugh Chalmers from the Royal United Services Institute. The Government ought to consider the range of possible options for the UK’s nuclear deterrent given the country’s financial situation and the committment that renewing the Trident weapons system represents, says a nuclear analyst at the Royal United Services Institute.

“I would recommed that you have to look at all the options available and think very carefully about what is the most necessary element of our deterrent, and which elements of the UK deterrent are no longer required, so we can make cuts where we can, and how we can,” says Hugh Chalmers.

Mr Chalmers also played down the threat posed by North Korea, which has conducted three nuclear tests since 2006 as well as launching a long range rocket in December 2012.

“North Korea doesn’t currently present a direct threat to the UK.

“There’s a suspicion that they might be able to reach the US but they certainly cannot reach the UK, and their ability to mount a nuclear weapon on these missiles is also hotly debated,” he said.

April 5, 2013 - Posted by | UK, weapons and war

No comments yet.

Leave a comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

« Previous | Next »