United Kingdom and the Future of Nuclear Weapons

Since 1969, the United Kingdom always has always had one submarine armed with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles underwater, undetected, in constant communication, ready at a set notice to fire at targets anywhere in the world. This is part of its Trident Programme, which includes the development, procurement, and operation of the current generation of British nuclear weapons, as well as the means to deliver them. Operated by the Royal Navy and based at Clyde Naval Base on Scotland’s west coast, it is the most expensive and most powerful capability of the British military forces.

In 2016, the United Kingdom had to decide on whether to go ahead and build the next generation of nuclear submarines that will allow the UK to remain in the nuclear business well into the second half of this century. The book presents the political, cultural, technical, and strategic aspects of Trident to provide a thoughtful overview of the UK’s complex relationship with nuclear weapons. The authors, both scholars and practitioners, bring together diverse perspectives on the issue, discussing the importance of UK nuclear history as well as the political, legal, and diplomatic aspects of UK nuclear weapons—internationally and domestically. Also addressed are the new technical, military, and strategic challenges to the UK nuclear thinking and strategy.

Editor:
Andrew Futter is a senior lecturer at the University of Leicester, UK

Contributors:
Peter Burt, director of the UK Nuclear Information Service

Catherine Eschle, senior lecturer, University of Strathclyde

Toby Fenwick, research associate at the Centre Forum and former RAF officer

Jonathan Hogg, senior lecturer, University of Liverpool

David Jarvis, associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, founder of the UK Project on Nuclear Issues, and former UK Liaison Officer at US STRATCOM

Lukasz Kulesa, research director of the European Leadership Network and former head of the Non-proliferation and Arms Control Project at the Polish Institute of International Affairs

Nick Ritchie, senior lecturer, University of York

Daniel Salisbury, research associate at the Centre for Science and Security Studies, King’s College London

Shatabhisha Shetty, deputy director of the and co-founder of the European Leadership Network

Kristan Stoddart, senior lecturer at Aberystwyth University

William Walker, emeritus professor at the University of St Andrews

Heather Williams, MacArthur Postdoctoral Fellow at King’s College London and former Nuclear Policy analyst at Chatham House

Henrietta Wilson, independent analyst and associate at the UK Nuclear Information Service