Source: Global Times
[Global Times special reporter Wei Qi]The exercise was "abnormal."A "trident" II ballistic missile successfully "left the submarine", but then fell into the sea.This incident was after the "Trident" missile fired in 2016 after the "Avoa" launch of the "Avalent" of the "Avant -garde", the "Trident" II failed for the second consecutive launch.Although this failure, the British military still expressed confidence in its nuclear deterrence power, it is also difficult to hide the level of combat reserve with a low coastal nuclear force.The sea -based nuclear force is currently the only nuclear deterrent force in the UK.
The missile "fluttering the sea"
According to British "The Sun reported on the 20th that the "Avant -garde" ballistic missile nuclear submarine performed the "Doomsday Exercise" on the Florida Coast on January 30.According to the plan, a "Trident" missile will fly about 3,500 miles, and then splash to the Atlantic Ocean between West Africa and Brazil.But in fact, it fell next to the submarine.A source said that it left the submarine, but only listened to the spark, and fell next to the submarine.
The Sun said that the "Trident" II missile with an unpailable nuclear warhead was pushed from the compressed gas from the launch tube to the air to the air, But the first -level engine did not ignite.During the test period, the "Avant -garde" was below the water surface and stabilized at the depth of the launch. Fortunately, the 44 -foot -long and 58 -ton missile was hit by this 44 -foot -long and 58 -ton missile.
It is reported that since the "Trident" II in 1994 has launched 12 "Trident" II missiles in the BritishEssenceIt is reported that in June 2016, a "Trident" II was launched from the "revenge" nuclear submarine, and the first -class rocket engine successfully ignited.But after a moment, it deviated from the route, "it is reported to be in the United States and automatically destroyed."
The Sun said that the manufacturer of the missile in the United States Lockchid Martin insisted that the "Trident" II is still "the worlds most advanced ballistic missile".The company said that since 1989, they have successfully shot 191 times. The last time was in September last year, when the "Ohio" class nuclear submarine "Louisiana" was demonstrated in the Pacific.The British firing this missile is relatively small because the cost of each missile is as high as 17 million pounds.The last successful launch in the UK was in October 2012.
British officials are still "absolute confidence"
, But British defense officials claim that they still have absolute confidence in their sea -based nuclear forces.According to BBC reports on the 21st, the British Defense Minister Grant Shapsus was on the 150 -meter nuclear submarine at the time of the incident.Later, in a written statement to the parliament, Shapz said that the "trident" was "the worlds most reliable weapon system."He said: "This trial reiterated the effectiveness of the British nuclear deterrent power, and the government has absolute confidence in this. Submarines and crew members have successfully obtained certification and will be re -added as planned., But it is a specific event, which has no effect on the reliability of the wider "trident" missile system and inventory. "He added that the" trident "is still" effective, reliable and powerful. "
However, the comments of the Sun did not seem to reflect this confidence.The media believes that the British nuclear deterrence power is the last line of defense. "Once our enemy starts the attack first, it will explode it."
The British sea -based nuclear force is questioned
Chinese military expert Zhang Xuefeng told the Global Times reporterThere are only a few of the global nuclear military nations that have the "trinity" capabilities, while Britain previously focused on the development of air -based and sea -based nuclear strike capabilities.Since the last airdrop nuclear bomb of the British Air Force in 1998, the Royal Navys strategic nuclear submarine equipped with a latent ballistic missile has become the only nuclear deterrent force in the UK.But now, there are some problems in terms of missile or submarine, from equipment to training.
Zhang Xuefeng believes that although the "Trident" II missile has maintained a high success rate in the US Navys test firNot convinced. "Failure to launch twice in a row is by no means accidental problems, which may mean problems such as the storage, maintenance, maintenance, and operation of the Royal Navy.
The strategic nuclear submarine equipped with the "Trident" missile is not optimistic.According to British media reports, the "Avantice" left Pulim Meis after a large repairs of 500 million pounds last year, three years later than the original scheduled ending date.It is one of the four "avant -garde" class nuclear submarines that patrolled in 1994, and one of them has been conducting combat reserve cruise at sea.
But in November 2023, the British media broke the news that a British Navys "avant -garde" strategic nuclear submarine had a fault due to a deep meter when she was patrolling the sea.Below below the depth.
The situation of the British nuclear warhead may not be optimistic.Zhang Xuefeng said that the "Trident" missile equipment carried by the Royal Navys "avant -garde" -class ballistic missile nuclear submarine is currently developed by the United States and produced by the United Kingdom, which can be traced back to the 1970s.Just like the "Trident" submarine ballistic missiles in Britain, they are theoretically highly reliable, but they may not be the case in actual use.
"Facing the problems and uncertainties of boats, bullets, and heads, the British military is still confident and indeed shows a strong psychological quality." Zhang Xuefeng said.
