NIS Nuclear Information Service | nuclear weapons/development

£2bn bonus for US corporations if government goes ahead with Trident replacement

There is a hidden bonus of over £2bn to US corporations if the government goes ahead with building new nuclear warheads http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/
jul/25/nuclear.weaponstechnology

Planning approval for new nuclear warhead 'conventional components' facility expected in 13th Aug 08

AWE expects Planning Approval for a new nuclear warhead conventional components facility on Wednesday 13th August 2008.

Building plans for another warhead production facility at AWE Aldermaston are expected to be approved by West Berkshire Council Planning on Wednesday 13th August. (See NIS Update July 2008. Public denials of government preparations to develop and manufacture a replacement for the current Trident W76 warhead have lacked credibility since the AWE Aldermaston Site Development Plan was published in 2002

Trident warhead replacement confirmed

The Guardian reports that David Gould, former chief operating officer at the Defence Equipment and Support Organisation, stated in June 2007 that AWE would build a new Trident warhead. At a defence industry conference Mr Gould said: "The intention is to replace the entire Vanguard class submarine system. Including the warhead and missile." The MoD continues to deny that the government has taken the decision to build a new warhead, despite the eight-year building project to modernise the warhead manufacturing facility at AWE Aldermaston and Burghfield.

http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jYnTLA2O1_zZeCJRPEMNLGYcqCAA

Counting the cost of the UK's next nuclear deterrent

It wasn’t quite a throwback to the Cold War era of rowdy Commons debates and campaigners chained to the gates of Greenham Common. But last week’s rebellion over the UK’s nuclear arsenal was still sizeable. It also drew a major parallel with the past: ministers, officials and the public have little idea how much the controversial nuclear deterrent will cost

Nuclear Weapons Facilities

*Dr. Julian Lewis:* To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on recent discussions with Kellogg Brown and Root about future investment in Devonport Dockyard.

Revealed: UK develops secret nuclear warhead

The Sunday Times of 12 March carried substantial articles and comment on the future of Britain's nuclear weapons programme

The future of Britain's WMD

Report prepared by Dan Plesch for the Foreign Policy Centre. Published March 2006