A Royal Navy Trident nuclear submarine. Photograph: CorbisFrom The Guardian:
Design contract for new generation of Trident nuclear missile submarines delayed.
The design contract for a new generation of Trident nuclear missile submarines, due to have been signed in September, has been put off, government officials revealed last night.
The decision marks a U-turn by ministers, who have insisted there could be no delay in the timetable. They have now agreed that any contract to design and build new Trident submarines will be delayed until an international conference reviewing the non-proliferation treaty in New York next year.
Pressure is growing for the government to abandon its plans to replace the existing Trident system, which could cost well over £70bn and would be redundant in the view of many military analysts.
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My Comment: The focus is not on whether such a program is essential to U.K. security .... the focus is on the £70bn price tag.