tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post7685166738931110520..comments2024-03-20T12:03:26.126+00:00Comments on Thin Pinstriped Line: Calling time on Trident? The possible impact of US nuclear weapon reductions on the UK.Sir Humphreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08704774192275240783noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-63422667746168559082012-05-30T22:41:14.792+01:002012-05-30T22:41:14.792+01:00Anonymous - you raise a key point, which I tried t...Anonymous - you raise a key point, which I tried to hint at in the article. Overloading in one area encourages construction of countermeasures, and this could be counterproductive.<br />Its worth noting that the UK has long since moved away from Flexible response, as it now only has a deterrent based purely on Trident.Sir Humphreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08704774192275240783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-86617498701099544452012-05-28T10:51:25.322+01:002012-05-28T10:51:25.322+01:00P.s. god forbid we ever get into that situation, b...P.s. god forbid we ever get into that situation, but it is (?) still valid.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-40949086735081095742012-05-28T10:48:15.413+01:002012-05-28T10:48:15.413+01:00Just one thing. What does this do to the notion of...Just one thing. What does this do to the notion of flexible response. If air launched cruise missiles with Nuclear warheads are ditched off the bomber force, you lose your ability to have a recall able nuclear asset if stepping back from the brink. Once submarines launch thier missiles they are launched....can't see the yanks self destructing them once whoever sees them coming. PRC and Russia must surely retain a capacity in that area. Also the one basket issue. If there are fewer SSBNs with fewer warheads, and they become the sole platform for delivery doesn't that mean more Russian and PLA-N SSNs....Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-49525784518411253692012-04-15T12:33:58.079+01:002012-04-15T12:33:58.079+01:00I think the commentator above may have misundersto...I think the commentator above may have misunderstood the tone of the piece. This is not about the US becoming a has been (which would be a very bad thing), but a look at the impact of defence cuts on the US budget and what this means for the UK.<br />The current programmed set of defence cuts in the US currently stand at the entire UK defence budget each year for the next 10 years. This author knows many US military personnel who are very candid in their view that the times are rapidly changing, and that the US can no longer afford to be the sole superpower, and that a multi-polar world is an inevitability.Sir Humphreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08704774192275240783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-83356977056569136972012-04-15T10:38:14.508+01:002012-04-15T10:38:14.508+01:00While the author is salivating at the prospect of ...While the author is salivating at the prospect of the US becoming a has-been like the UK, the reality is that it's not going to happen.<br /><br />Obama may want it. But neither the US people nor the US Congress will allow it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-52559751083267426582012-03-22T21:55:14.964+00:002012-03-22T21:55:14.964+00:00while Humphreys logic is entirely reasonable, ther...while Humphreys logic is entirely reasonable, there are solutions, firstly the French who develop and maintain their own SLBM's and are going to bit our hand off if we offer to go halfsies on the cost - and secondly, its probably not beyond the wit of UK industry to design, build and maintain what would be a straight replica of the current Trident missile.<br /><br />expensive certainly, but certainly doable.<br /><br />personally, i'm not keen on other delivery systems - firstly theres the vunerability and actual capability of such systems - and as importantly the concern that if we develop a nuclear armed cruise missile (for instance), whether air, surface or sub launched, whenever we launch a conventional cruise missile in any conflict, our enemy will be in the position of knowing that its possible that theres a nuclear warheard heading his way - and he may well react to that in the same way that we, or any other nuclear power would - by launching his own nuclear weapons at us in retaliation. <br /><br />so we save X billion by replacing trident with a nuclear cruise missile, only to spend Y trillions re-building our country from the glowing car park its become...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-18772794130135633362012-03-06T10:43:52.117+00:002012-03-06T10:43:52.117+00:00Having just read the Harold Brown paper from the l...Having just read the Harold Brown paper from the last time the Americans considered really big nuclear reductions, what say you to the notion that going to a minimal (200-250 SLBMs) US deterrent would mean spreading them around on more subs and certainly staying two-ocean?<br /><br />If there is still a European deterrent mission, 200 rockets with whatever serviceability factor doesn't leave much for a commitment to NATO, and that Centreforum paper is quite touching in its faith in the Americans.<br /><br />Come to think of it, a "minimal submarine" might well be something like "Stretched Astute".Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17153530634675543954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-43207599487562099802012-02-28T19:10:37.330+00:002012-02-28T19:10:37.330+00:00Is now the time for the UK to turn it's back o...Is now the time for the UK to turn it's back on the MAD approach of Trident and swap for tactical nuclear weapons instead? A cruise missile approach that could be lauched from a SSN, T45 or strike aircraft could actually improve the UK's capabilities - more platforms and more than one basket to put your eggs in...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-86470156397988771142012-02-28T15:15:40.483+00:002012-02-28T15:15:40.483+00:00Extremely unlikely that the Trident replacement wi...Extremely unlikely that the Trident replacement will be cancelled. A reduced US nuclear force will result in the elimination of land and air platforms, whereas the SSBN fleet will emerge largely intact but with fewer missiles/ warheads (in any event it will be a lot more than 400). Paradoxically, the SSBNs will become more rather than less important.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-7716970721919395382012-02-20T17:37:15.859+00:002012-02-20T17:37:15.859+00:00losing everything but subs i get, losing everythin...losing everything but subs i get, losing everything but subs *and* half the subs?<br />Nar.<br />I see more ssbn/ssgn in the future, not less.<br />Putting all their eggs in one basket, i just dont see it.<br />Even if they do, france manages a native industry, dont see why we couldnt.<br /><br />Scary, and worth thinking about, but the scotland issue seems much more likely<br /><br />my shot in the dark?<br />Two fleets of 12, capable of concurrent bn/gn carries (maybe not used that way), no air or land nukesDomohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00240964731398145995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-44120214357940258772012-02-18T23:26:38.634+00:002012-02-18T23:26:38.634+00:00Not forgetting the support operations in scotland ...Not forgetting the support operations in scotland and how much it would cost to move. However I would like to know more about the future cooperation with france, I'm sure not long ago the uk and france were talking about cooperation on weapons.Paul Rhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01285661735017310674noreply@blogger.com