MOVING nuclear submarines and missiles from Scotland to Plymouth devonwould create a “national debate” about the future of the UK’s Trident programme, according to a leading researcher.
Last week the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) published a report stating that Devonport would be the most feasible alternative for the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines if Scotland votes for independence.Malcolm Chalmers, who compiled the report, took part in a discussion on the Jeremy Vine Show on Radio 2 today.Mr Vine asked Mr Chalmers whether the proposed move to Devonport would prompt the UK Government to reassess whether the country needed nuclear weapons at all..Moving the submarine base from Faslane would encounter local opposition and would bring “unavoidable risks” to Devonport, says the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), but it is the most feasible alternative if Scotland votes for independence next month.
The RUSI report, entitled ‘Relocation, Relocation, Relocation’, says HMNB Devonport already has the infrastructure for conventionally-armed nuclear submarines, and could host nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) with extra investment.
The report states: “Introducing nuclear-armed SSBNs to Devonport will unavoidably introduce a new risk that an accidental ignition of one or all of a submarine’s Trident D5 missiles could spread radioactive material over some of Plymouth’s 260,000 inhabitants.