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
'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.'