Telegraph: One British Trident submarine is capable of burning down 40 Russian cities!
Despite the technical and financial challenges facing Britain’s Trident nuclear missile program, it remains a potent strategic threat that worries the Kremlin and makes London a key player in the global nuclear deterrence equation.
According to Journalist Sean Rayment, who wrote in The Telegraph, confirming in a report on this program, noting at the beginning that a single British Trident nuclear submarine could “burn down 40 Russian cities”.
In this regard, he quoted British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s statement last Wednesday during a visit to welcome the return of HMS Vanguard, after what is believed to be more than 200 days at sea: “I think they (the enemies) appreciate our capabilities… What is important, of course, is that they recognize what they are, and that it’s a credible capability”.
According to Rayment’s report, the so-called Trident Program, which is the backbone of Britain’s nuclear deterrent, consists of four submarines: HMS Vanguard, Victorious, Vigilant and Vengeance, each capable of carrying up to 16 ballistic missiles equipped with 12 nuclear warheads each.
This means that just one submarine could launch 192 nuclear warheads at once, equivalent to the ability to wipe out 40 Russian cities.
One of these submarines must always be on a naval mission to ensure readiness at any time, a principle known as continuous deterrence at sea, which is a pillar of British defense policy.
The submarines currently in service entered service in the 1990s, which means they are past their 25-year lifespan.
However, their service life is being extended until the new Dreadnought submarines enter service after 10 years.
The program has its failures though, with failed missile launch tests recorded, most notably in 2016 and 2024, raising questions about the system’s reliability.
Adding to that the high costs, as Trident Program consumes around 6% of the UK defense budget (£3 billion a year), making it a very expensive undertaking.
The report continues, pointing out on the reliance on the United States: The missiles are manufactured and maintained in cooperation with the United States, raising concerns about British strategic independence.
Regarding Russia, the report says that despite the challenges facing the program, its massive destructive capabilities remain a major concern for the Kremlin.
The missiles are capable of reaching targets inside Russia, such as Moscow, in just 30 minutes, meanwhile, Russia’s weaknesses in retaliate and confront these missiles are due to Russia’s large geographic size and with weak air defenses that makes Russia virtually impossible to repel a ballistic missile attack from Trident submarines.
As for the strategic image, the report pointing out on the weapon magnitude, which would force Moscow to reconsider its approach when taking any provocative steps toward the West.
Britain is preparing to replace its current fleet with a new class of submarines called the Dreadnought, which feature advanced technology that makes them harder to detect, enhancing their ability to remain at sea for longer period, however, this transition won’t happen before 2035, at an estimated cost of £31 billion.
Despite the advanced age of the Trident fleet and the challenges it faces, this program remains a cornerstone of Britain’s deterrence strategy.
Its ability to decisively impact any threat makes it an essential element not only for the defense of the United Kingdom, but also for strengthening its position on the global geopolitical scene.
Amid Russia’s increasing escalation, the Kremlin realizes that Trident submarines aren’t just submarines, but a nuclear ghost roaming the depths of the seas, threatening Britain’s enemies.
