THE UNITED KINGDOM AND THE NUCLEAR FUTURE:

Abstract

In December 2006, the British government published a White Paper on the future of its nuclear deterrent that was endorsed by its House of Commons in March 2007. The White Paper focused on constructing new Trident ballistic missile submarines to be deployed in the early 2020s and also contained a number of statements about the United Kingdom's future nuclear doctrine. The Trident's role is now for strategic deterrence alone; the concept of sub-strategic deterrence (and nuclear war fighting) has been abandoned; uncertainty over the specific circumstances of use continues to be an integral part of the U.K. deterrence posture; and any actual use would adhere to the guidelines set forth in the 1996 International Court of Justice advisory opinion. The United Kingdom is also committed to participating fully in any multilateral disarmament negotiations. These decisions offer a clear vision of the strategic nuclear future of the United Kingdom.