LONDON: Britain’s Trident nuclear-deterrent system misfired during a test last month, sending a missile crashing into the ocean off the Florida coast near the submarine that launched it, The Sun newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The Ministry of Defence confirmed that an “anomaly” had occurred during the test but said Britain’s “nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure and effective”.

With Defence Secretary Grant Shapps on board the HMS Vanguard to witness the test, The Sun said, the first-stage boosters on the missile — equipped with dummy warheads — failed to ignite.

The result marked the second successive test failure of a Trident missile after one was reported to have veered off course in 2016, an embarrassing outcome for a country that once boasted the largest and most powerful naval force in the world. “It left the submarine but it just went plop, right next to them,” The Sun quoted an unspecified source as saying.

Defence minister says the government has ‘confidence’ in its nuclear system

In a statement, Shapps said that the missile test had been the culmination of a Demonstration and Shakedown Operation on Vanguard to gauge the performance of its weapons and its crew, after it returned from a lengthy refit.

He said the operation reaffirmed the effectiveness of the UK’s nuclear deterrent, that the submarine and crew were “successfully certified” to be ready for operation, but an anomaly occurred that was “event-specific”.

“There are no implications for the reliability of the wider Trident missile systems and stockpiles,” he said. “Nor are there any implications for our ability to fire our nuclear weapons, should the circumstances arise in which we need to do so.” Shapps gave no further details, citing national security.

‘Absolute confidence’

The UK government said on Wednesday that it had “absolute confidence” in its Trident nuclear deterrent system despite a reported missile test failure.

Defence minister Grant Shapps admitted to parliament that “an anomaly did occur” during an exercise on January 30, following reports that a missile fired from the submarine HMS Vanguard fell into the sea.

Shapps said in the written statement that it was “longstanding practice” not to comment on such tests, but that it was providing information “in recognition of the level of interest” in the operation.

“On this occasion, an anomaly did occur, but it was event specific and there are no implications for the reliability of the wider Trident missile systems and stockpile,” insisted the minister, who was on board the vessel at the time of the test.

“Nor are there any implications for our ability to fire our nuclear weapons, should the circumstances arise in which we need to do so.”

Despite the setback, Shapps said that the test “reaffirmed the effectiveness of the UK’s nuclear deterrent, in which the government has absolute confidence.

“The Trident missile system remains the most reliable weapons system in the world, having successfully completed more than 190 tests,” he added.

“The UK’s resolve and capability to use its nuclear weapons, should we ever need to do so, remains beyond doubt.” But the opposition Labour party called the reports “concerning”.

The 13-metre-long Trident missile, which can aim at targets up to 4,000 miles away, are fired underwater from submarines, with boosters supposed to ignite when the weapons reach the surface.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2024