"Trident Missile Test Failures: Impact on UK's Nuclear Deterrent"

The Trident nuclear-weapons system is a key part of the UK's nuclear deterrent, consisting of four Vanguard-class submarines armed with Trident missiles and warheads. The system is based at Faslane near the Firth of Clyde and has an annual running cost of about £3bn. A recent test firing of a Trident missile from a Royal Navy submarine failed, raising concerns about the system's reliability. The decision to use Trident can only be made by the prime minister, and the system is controversial due to ethical, economic, and strategic concerns.