The Trident decision

By 2016 the British government must decide whether to replace Trident, the UK’s submarine-based nuclear weapons system. Since 1994, Trident has been carried by four Vanguard-class submarines which are now approaching the end of their service lives. The decision must now be taken whether to press ahead with the construction of four new submarines to carry Trident, build a cheaper variant or give up the nuclear deterrent.