nuclear-news

Ministry of Defence under pressure on Trident balloon accident

Local people filmed a large balloon meant to provide last-ditch communications in a nuclear war deflating and crashing. But the Ministry of Defence won’t say anything about it

Rob Edwards, October 06 2026,
https://www.theferret.scot/trident-balloon-accident/

The Ministry of Defence is being urged to “come clean” about an accident that reportedly destroyed the UK’s emergency nuclear war communications balloon, after The Ferret discovered that key information has been taken offline.

Byline Times reported that the helium balloon, codenamed Sunflower and kept in Scotland, crashed to the ground after deflating during a test over Yorkshire on 4 September. 

The balloon is designed to lift a 1,500-metre radio antenna enabling the UK government to order Trident submarines to launch a nuclear strike after Britain has been attacked.

Both the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the army have refused to make any comment at all, encouraging speculation that the balloon could have been downed by a Russian drone. 

At the same time, one of the main pieces of evidence about the balloon’s history and purpose appears to have been removed from a military website after it was highlighted in Byline Times.

Byline Times reported that the helium balloon, codenamed Sunflower and kept in Scotland, crashed to the ground after deflating during a test over Yorkshire on 4 September. 

The balloon is designed to lift a 1,500-metre radio antenna enabling the UK government to order Trident submarines to launch a nuclear strike after Britain has been attacked.

Both the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the army have refused to make any comment at all, encouraging speculation that the balloon could have been downed by a Russian drone. 

At the same time, one of the main pieces of evidence about the balloon’s history and purpose appears to have been removed from a military website after it was highlighted in Byline Times.

Known as the low frequency fall back (LFFB), the balloon has been kept in an army warehouse on a Dundee industrial estate, next to the city’s Eastern Cemetery. Vehicles to transport it are believed to be housed in a hardened aircraft shelter at the army and airforce base at Leuchars in Fife.

Every autumn, it has travelled with a police convoy to and from a former airfield at Topcliffe, near Thirsk in Yorkshire, to be tested. It was videoed by a Facebook group called Fife Jammer Locations going through Cupar in Fife on 29 August and 12 September.

Unfortunately, as Byline Times reported, during its latest test on 4 September the balloon was filmed by another Facebook group, North Yorkshire Weather Updates, partially deflated and spinning on its tether. Footage shows it rapidly ascended, was blown 12 miles east and finally fell into a farmer’s field near Ampleforth…………………………………………………………………………….

The Bylines Times story on 8 September was written by the veteran investigative journalist, Duncan Campbell. Along with researcher, Mike Kenner, he is writing a book on UK nuclear war planning with the provisional title ‘The Decoy Game’, updating his revelatory 1983 book, War Plan UK.

Dave Cullen, a UK nuclear weapons expert from the BASIC nuclear think tank in London, stressed the “vital importance” of communication with Trident submarines in a crisis. 

He said: “If this backup communications system relies on a single balloon, the public deserves to know what happened in this incident. Given the details that have already been published, the ongoing silence from the MoD seems to serve little purpose, other than saving them further embarrassment.”

Rob Forsyth, a Royal Navy nuclear submarine commander in the 1970s who now campaigns against Trident, described the balloon as an absurd “Heath Robinson” contraption. It was “so Dad’s Army as to be unbelievable”, he said, referring to the comedy which made fun of the home guard in the Second World War. 

“The MoD is understandably reluctant to reveal why this happened but, by saying absolutely nothing, it leaves conspiracy theorists a clear field,” he told The Ferret. “Some explanation as to what happened and reassurance that the vulnerability of a strategically vital communication link is being addressed is needed.”

“It is completely unacceptable that they are refusing to answer questions” – Gillian Mackay MSP, Scottish Greens co-leader

The Scottish Greens called on the MoD to “come clean” and explain what happened. “These are very concerning allegations that have been uncovered, and the MoD should be more transparent,” said the party’s co-leader, Gillian Mackay MSP.

“It is completely unacceptable that they are refusing to answer questions and refusing to give any details on what was behind this when there is video footage that will rightly be concerning people across the country.”

The SNP defence spokesperson, Dave Doogan MP, described the UK nuclear weapons programme as a “costly charade” which was fooling nobody. “Even advocates for nuclear weapon systems should be dismayed to see such vanity and extravagance undone by a balloon on the end of a string,” he said.

A Ministry of Defence spokesperson told The Ferret: “We’re not commenting on this.” A spokesperson for the army added: “We will not be commenting.”

October 11, 2026 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | incidents, secrets,lies and civil liberties, UK