Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#1
I have been, and remain a great believer in a British independent nuclear deterrant. That said I have posted on here before that I believe the Trident replacement is excessive for our present defence needs and that a far better solution would be nuclear tipped cruise missiles, air and submarine launched.
The real advantage is cost. It will be far less expensive to buy off the self aircraft or to adapt Tornades to fullfil the air launched role and our conventional hunter killer submarines for the sea launch role.
This means highly expensive and unflexible dedicated platforms are not required. The platforms being used will have a conventional role as well as a nuclear one. Consider, our hunter killers now have conventionally tipped cruise missiles now anyway. The conversion would be relatively straight forward.
Apart from the purchase and conversion costs this would free up a large amount of money that would be better spent on our underfunded conventional forces.
Money is tight and is going to get tighter. This is one way to free up a considerable amount of money for the conventional Army, Navy and Air Force without inreasing the overall Defence budget.
That is not to say that Defence should not get more cash. Defence has been neglected for 12 years and is in desperate need of funds and is THE most important area of spending for any Government and must take priority. But it would in difficult times buy breathing space and help us towards affording those essential new aircraft carriers and air wings along with other major defence needs.
I see that both David Davis and David Cameron are saying something similar though as far as I know they are not spelling out what they think should be done with any saved cash. As long as it remains in the Defence budget I am 100% with them.