More nukes And a Regional Pivot: Britain Unveils its Long-Awaited Defense Review
Britain is to substantially increase its stockpile of nuclear warheads in response to a deteriorating security environment.
Editorial Staff
More nukes And a Regional Pivot: Britain Unveils its Long-Awaited Defense Review
LONDON — Britain is to substantially increase its stockpile of nuclear warheads in response to a deteriorating security environment, the government said in a long-awaited review of defense, security and foreign policy released March 16. The move would see Britain increase the inventory to no more than 260 warheads, reversing a decision made a decade ago to cut the maximum from 225 to 180 by the mid-2020s. Depending on exactly how many warheads the country intends to acquire, it could see the strategic weapons count increase by more than 40 percent. Britain is deliberately ambiguous about how many nuclear warheads it possesses, but that hasn’t always been the case. In 2015, then-Defence Secretary Michael Fallon announced that the reduction would see Vanguard-class submarines carry 40 warheads and no more than eight Trident missiles. One of the Royal Navy’s fleet of four Vanguard subs is always at sea and armed. The government said its decision in the Integrated Review to raise warhead numb…
