Key documents

In this section you will find particularly significant material relating to the Trident replacement decision, which are referred to frequently in debates, articles and documents.

CRS Report for Congress - The Reliable Replacement Warhead Program: Background and Current Developments

Date: 
12 September, 2008
Source: 
http://www.state.gov/

Summary
Most current U.S. nuclear warheads were built in the 1970s and 1980s and are being retained longer than was planned. Yet they deteriorate and must be maintained. To correct problems, a Life Extension Program (LEP), part of a larger Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP), replaces components. Modifying some components would require a nuclear test, but the United States has observed a test moratorium since 1992. Congress and the Administration prefer to avoid a return to testing, so LEP rebuilds these components as closely as possible to original specifications. With this approach, the Secretaries of Defense and Energy have certified stockpile safety and reliability for the past 12 years without nuclear testing.

AWE - Site Development Context Plan update, (SDCP08)

Date: 
1 April, 2008
Source: 
http://www.awe.co.uk

AWE Aldermaston and Burghfield
Site Development Context Plan (SDCP)
2005 - 2015
Update (SDCP08)

HM Treasury - 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review: D8 Ministry of Defence, Cm 7227

Date: 
9 October, 2007

2007 Pre-Budget Report and Comprehensive Spending Review, Cm 7227
'Meeting the aspirations of the British people'

9 October 2007.

Defence White Paper 2006 - FCO and MoD: The Future of the United Kingdom’s Nuclear Deterrent, Cm 6994

date: 
4 December, 2006

The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent
At the 2005 General Election the Labour manifesto made a commitment to retain the UK’s independent nuclear deterrent. Even with an extension to their lives, the Vanguard class submarines are likely to start leaving service from the early 2020s. We estimate that it will take around 17 years to design, manufacture and commission
a replacement submarine. So we need to take decisions now on whether to retain this capability in the longer term.

Fact Sheet 1: Summary: Maintaining the UK's Nuclear Deterrent

Fact Sheet 2: Summary: Disarmament and Non-proliferation

Fact Sheet 3: International Legal Obligations

Fact Sheet 4: The Current System

Fact Sheet 5: The History of the UK's Nuclear Weapons Programme

Fact Sheet 6: Supporting the Trident System

MoD - Defence Industrial Strategy: Defence White Paper, Cm6697

date: 
15 December, 2005
source: 
http://www.mod.uk

'The Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) is structured in three parts:
Part A, providing the strategic context;
Part B, reviewing different industrial sectors and cross-cutting industrial capabilities;
and Part C, outlining the implications for MOD and industry as a whole, and how the DIS will be implemented.'

[from Executive Summary, p 6]

Defence Industrial Strategy: Defence White Paper, Cm6697

Date: 
1 December, 2005
Source: 
http://www.official-documents.gov.uk

'The Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS) is structured in three parts: PartA, providing the strategic context; Part B, reviewing diff erent industrial sectorsand cross-cutting industrial capa

AWE - Site Development Context Plan 2005

Date: 
1 November, 2005
Source: 
AWE plc

This document was created to provide AWE plc with the overall context within which the development of Aldermaston and Burghfield will be set and to 'allow key stakeholders to have an overall picture of the future development as the necessary documentation is prepared and submitted for projects to achieve necessary consents and in particular planning approval'
[Strategic Sustainability Appraisal of the Site Development Contect Plan, Introduction]

MoD - Defence White Paper: Delivering Security in a Changing World: Future Capabilities, Cm 6269

Date: 
1 July, 2004
Source: 
http://www.mod.uk


  • Delivering Security in a Changing World: Future Capabilities

  • Factsheet 1: The Policy Baseline - Why We Need To Change

  • Factsheet 2: Capability Implications

  • Factsheet 3: Organisation and Efficiency

  • Factsheet 4: Network Enabled Capability

MoD - Delivering Security in a Changing World: Defence White Paper, December 2003, Cm6041-I and Cm6041-II

date: 
1 December, 2003

volume I - Defence White paper

volume II - supporting essays

'Throughout this Government’s time in office, the UK’s Armed Forces have consistently risen to the challenges set them, continuing a military tradition of which the whole nation can be proud. This success is no accident. It depends on the ability of our people, properly trained, motivated and equipped, focussed and organised on achieving results and directed by outstanding leaders throughout the chain of command. The British people expect the Government to continue to deliver high quality Armed Forces capable of responding to the uncertainties and threats of today’s security environment, and to ensure our Service men and women receive the level of support they need. This White Paper sets out the policy for doing so, building on the expeditionary strategy first set out in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) in 1998 and the conclusions reached in the SDR New Chapter
in 2002, and adapted to reflect operational experience and the changing security environment.'

[from Forward p1]

Crown copyright