Britain's Nuke Terror Vov
George Pascoe-Watson
Mr Browne told MPs: “This is designed to address the strategic threat posed by states possessing nuclear weapons using a delivery mechanism that employs terrorism.” He refused to spell out when and where nukes would be used to ensure the element of surprise.
Mr Browne told the Defence Committee: “Keeping them guessing to a degree and keeping a degree of ambiguity is all part of deterrence.”
The Defence Secretary was being grilled about plans to replace ageing Trident weapons systems. The PM wants a £20billion new system to protect the UK until 2050. Britain’s nuclear armoury was built to see off the threat of Communism before the Soviet Union collapsed.
Critics say there is no need to replace Trident missiles and their submarines.
But Mr Browne warned that terrorists armed with nuclear waste or biological weapons poses the biggest threat to UK security in the coming years.