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The recent misfire of a Trident D5 missile from the UK's HMS Vanguard has raised concerns about the reliability of the country's nuclear deterrent system. The missile, which failed to ignite its first stage after being launched, was supposed to be fired as part of final testing before being loaded with live warheads. While the UK Ministry of Defence has described the failure as a specific technical issue, questions have been raised about the overall state of the country's defence capabilities. The Trident D5 missiles used by the UK are owned and maintained by the United States, specifically Lockheed Martin Space Systems. Despite being part of the same pool of missiles used by US submarines, the UK missiles have unique features, including being controlled solely by the UK and using UK-built warheads. The recent misfire has highlighted the complexity and potential risks involved in maintaining and operating nuclear deterrent submarines. The incident has also shed light on the broader challenges facing the UK's defence capabilities. While the country's nuclear deterrent remains a top priority and receives significant investment, concerns have been raised about the state of its conventional defence forces. The UK's army, in particular, has faced cuts in recent years, leading to questions about its ability to respond effectively in a conventional warfighting scenario. Former Colonel and military strategist Philip Ingram speaks to TalkTV about what went wrong. The Government retains “absolute confidence” in the UK’s nuclear deterrent despite reports of a Trident missile test failure, the Defence Secretary has said. Grant Shapps said the “anomaly” occurred during an exercise involving the ballistic missile submarine HMS Vanguard, but confirmed it had “no implications” for the UK’s ability to deploy nuclear weapons. Click here for more from TalkTV If you need any help visit: #grantshapps #trident #nuclear
