The Letter Of Last Resort - PMs letter to Nuke Sub Captains

[Clinton Huxley]

How much damage can a single sub do? How many nukes are there on board?

40 warheads on one sub at the moment.

[mistermack]

How much damage can a single sub do? How many nukes are there on board?

The UK has four Trident subs. They each have lots of missiles, and each missile has multiple warheads.

So the technical answer is Britain has lots and lots and lots of warheads that it can deliver.

[camoguard]

How much damage can a single sub do? How many nukes are there on board?

24 trident missiles on the latest subs.

[MrJonno]

Let's face it, we're only talking about Russia or China.
If anyone else nuked the UK, you would know that they were suicidally mad.
If Russia or China nuked the UK, out of the blue, they would be mad too. If they did it as a result of a recent serious dispute, then assurances and warnings would have been issued by the US through dimplomatic channels, and the US would just carry out what they said they would do, before they got hit themselves.

Why would they wait for a launch? When they could destroy many targets before they launched?

Out of the blue is a bit unlikely but Russia wiping out the UK is going to be a considered a tactical nuclear strike as far as the US is concerned (ie it doesn't affect them directly), the US might nuke Cuba, Serbia , Venezuela in retaliation but not Moscow or even the Russian nuclear forces. They would just see us a lost pawn no something to risk the mainland other yet

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Meh, we can always get out and walk.

[klr]

How much damage can a single sub do? How many nukes are there on board?

Not as many as there used to be, because by agreement the maximum number of warheads per missile has been very much reduced. The US Navy Ohio class subs used to carry 24 Trident II D-5 missiles, each of which could have up to 12 warheads that could be independently released along the re-entry flight path. It's now down to 4 or 5 warheads per missile - and some of the Ohio class have been converted to carry cruise missiles instead.

The British Vanguard class carry 16 Trident missiles. The French subs also carry 16 missiles of a French design with 6 warheads each. The newest Russian subs have the same arrangement AFAIK.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The "max loads" for the Tridents is purely a feel-good thing, the old loads can be reestablished quickly.

[MrJonno]

The "max loads" for the Tridents is purely a feel-good thing, the old loads can be reestablished quickly.

I still can't see the situation occurring where the world looks its about to explode, Mr Submarine Captain gets called home as his government is concerned that he hasn't got enough nukes on board

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The "max loads" for the Tridents is purely a feel-good thing, the old loads can be reestablished quickly.

I still can't see the situation occurring where the world looks its about to explode, Mr Submarine Captain gets called home as his government is concerned that he hasn't got enough nukes on board

I'll leave the crystal-balling to those with crystal balls.

[Audley Strange]

Here's the actual letter...

"Dear Sub Captains,

Given the recent programme for austerity undertaken by the coalition government, it has been decided that our entire naval
nuclear defence is to be shut down and sub-contracted to Tesco. As such all military submarines are to be decommissioned.
As pointed out the measures for austerity preclude the expense of such a long and costly process, as such we would ask that
you go to position [CLASSIFIED] choose a partner submarine and fire your payload at each other.

Your service to your country was much appreciated, but we can no longer afford to pay for anything.

May you all rest in peace.

David Camoren."

[laklak]

[Gawdzilla Sama]

That is so Urban.

[laklak]

Keith?

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Keith?

Karl.

[mistermack]

The chances are, if Russia or China launched any nukes at Britain, all of the missiles on the subs would be made ready to go.
As soon as it became certain that the subs not at sea were targeted, they would fire everything, before they were hit.