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Old 3rd Feb 2015, 15:42
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Operated with WE177 on both Buccaneer and Tornado GR1 and stood Strike QRA for many a year in Germany until the wall came down in 1988 - that was the start of it! The so-called peace dividend (Perestroika et al)! With no pun intended, the writing was on the wall from that day forth for an air-launched nuclear capability!

What of the future? Well, you'd have to work bloody hard and underhandedly to winkle Trident (the Nuke capability) off the submariners for a start! Money would not run to two systems.

BUT

We have an air-launched missile on inventory, which could take a nuclear warhead (once 'twas considered as a research option) and that would have to be the preferred delivery method (Long Range Stand Off rather than, at best, Tossing it from 4 nms!)

HOWEVER

Since SR(A)1244 was binned whilst I was in OR in the mid-90s I think the chances of resurrecting an airborne nuclear capability are pretty remote!

NB. Unusually, but perhaps not surprisingly, Google is not much help on SR(A)1244!

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