Don't do as I do but rather as what I say.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38689400

Theresa May says she has "absolute faith" in the UK's nuclear weapons system despite reports that an unarmed missile went off course during a test.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-38708823

Apparently the SLBM curved off towards the US.

Wonder if it knows something we don't.... :hmmm:

No doubt the new POTUS will have a solid opinion on the matter :03:

Russian hackers updating Trident-II to the Bumerang configuration, no doubt.

Depends on what is devolved and what isn't and I think such a scheme, if it happened, would remain reserved to Westminster just to make sure the SNP couldn't throw a spanner in the works. I could see Glasgow erupting protest at such a proposal as "an affront to human dignity by encouraging slavery" led a certain Tommy Sheridan and his cohorts, however. Nor do I think Scottish farmers would want unemployed, unwilling, Glaswegians working on their farms.:hmmm:

As for the missile test, Sturgeon's reaction is as expected and I can see the whinging coming out of Glasgow about Trident getting louder.

Mike.

Are there any other options for the British strategic deterent?

I mean from the materials I have read it appears that the delivery systems (Trident-II) and the warheads themselves (critical subassemblies, even in the physics package) appear to be US made.

:hmmm:

:yep:

https://users.ece.cmu.edu/~ar39/ryan...s/treb-dad.jpg

France. Assuming BoJo can be persuaded to keep his gob shut.

The warheads are made in the UK, but as you wrote, certain parts are dependant on the US. That's why I think good relations with Trump are needed - of all US Presidents I could see him blocking any tech transfer between the UK and US. It also gives the US enormous leverage over the UK and, again, I could see Trump using that to the US's advantage.

The UK could do everything by itself but it would be cost prohibitive.

Mike.

Will you all calm down please, after all it was one of Jeremy Corbyn SLBM warhead. At worst it would have dispersed hundreds of leaflets urging American's to join the Labour party and get a free I love Jeremy Corbyn T-Shirt. :DL

Trump's first visitor :yep:

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/01...ith-trump.html

Better not wear her famours shoes...

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2015/...5467267001.jpg

Old Trump might pinch her bum. :03:

Won't UK benefit from related technologies, for example space booster technologies?

No doubt it would but I remain sceptical about the UK political establishment's economic strategies. Primarily whether or not they have the vision to actually think big in terms of industry and manufacturing. Since the 80's service industries have been king and much of the UK industrial base has atrophied and shrunk.

A case in point being the oil industry - there's a lot of skilled engineering involved and Aberdeen has the expertise to capitalise on that but hasn't received much support beyond tax cuts. What's needed is investment and lots of it before the skills base here dissipates and is lost to the UK.

A modern hi-tech economy also needs skilled workers and that is something the education systems (all four of them) in the UK haven't been producing in sufficient numbers. Those that they do produce often go abroad so they can further their careers and receive better remuneration packages. Again investment is needed as well as a coherent plan which can be implemented UK wide. Difficult as the education systems in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are now subject to devolved control, although the first two were never integrated with the English system in the first place.

Since the current noises coming out of the Tory party seem to favour the UK apeing Singapore I'm not holding out much hope.

Mike.