Should the UK stop working with the US on the replacement of Trident in favour of a European joint venture?
The UK is replacing its Vanguard-class submarines with Dreadnought-class vessels to maintain continuous at-sea deterrence, leasing US Trident II D5 missiles and collaborating on warhead and propulsion technology under the 1958 Mutual Defence Agreement. In 2026 the government committed £15 billion to the sovereign Astraea warhead programme while retaining Trident compatibility. Amid US political uncertainty, Germany is in talks to fund aspects of the UK deterrent and France has advanced a forward deterrence initiative inviting European participation in exercises and planning.
4 Opinions
The US government has treated us quite badly over the last couple of years, since the second Trump administration began. He has been rude, unthinking, and unkind. Then he talks about us as if we approved of every he says and does. Being united with other countries, doesn't mean we have to put up with insults. Getting closer to Europe again seems to be the far better option.
We should not rely on either the US or the EU! We are perfectly capable of creating our own, independent, ballistic missile if not a hypersonic alternative. We should take notes from France. But we’re most definitely being taken for a ride by the US on trident. I would also highlight that the last 2 tests failed!!!!
Betting Britain's ultimate security on who happens to win the White House is madness when US politics is completely volatile. My issue with partnering with Europe is the fact that we’ve already sunk billions into Dreadnought and Astraea so walking away now to spend twenty years bickering with Paris and Berlin over committee designs seems counterintuitive. Double edged sword, but feel the US side is more sharp
With the current US administrations clear links to Russia Europe's biggest threat, openly threatening allies, bullying allies economically, threading land grabs and fundamentally no longer a reliable Nato ally, This won't change with future administrations as the damage is done. We just can't trust them to thebe a reliable ally with our Nuclear Deterrent. We must look to our European allies to help fund and support the deterrent as the US moves away from Europe going forward.