Pouring it into a nuclear weapons system that experts say could be rendered obsolete by new technology is hardly a wise choice. The total cost of replacing the Trident nuclear missile system will come to at least £205bn, far more than previously estimated, according to figures drawn up by the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). The government is expected soon to ask MPs to vote to replace the existing Trident fleet with four new nuclear submarines. Last month, it declined to say how much it thought it would cost to replace Trident, and the ministry said the situation has not changed. Crispin Blunt, Tory chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, has calculated, on the basis of parliamentary answers, that a new Trident system would cost £167bn over a 30-year lifespan.

Source: The Guardian May 11, 2016 17:22 UTC