PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Could the RAF resume the nuclear deterrent as a cheaper alternative to Trident?
Old 9th Aug 2015, 06:42
  #35 (permalink)  
ORAC
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
 
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Everything to do with nuclear weapons - design, engineering, support, maintenance, retirement, manpower - is frighteningly expensive. When it came with its own pot of money there was a certain attraction in owning it, now it has to be paid from the same money box the costs involved impinge upon all other programmes.

The RAF is en-route since 1991 to shrink from 30 FJ squadrons to 6, with concomitant manpower; the RN has in the same period seen the FFG/DDG fleet shrink from around 50 to 20 and the attack sub fleet from 25 to 7 - now manning and equipping the carriers will put even more strain on the rest of the fleet as the inevitable cost overruns occur.

I think the Trident replacement is becoming a poison chalice the RAF is more than happy for the RN to remain responsible for - and the RN increasingly unhappy.
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