Misfire was to blame

British missile test from nuclear submarine fails

A British Vanguard-class nuclear submarine of the Royal Navy

(Bild: AFP)

The test of a nuclear-capable missile of the British Navy has failed when launched from a submarine. The Trident 2 missile, equipped with a dummy warhead, misfired after being launched from the nuclear submarine "HMS Vanguard" and crashed into the sea off the coast of Florida, British media reported on Wednesday night. The Ministry of Defense in London confirmed an "anomaly" during the test on 30 January.

According to the information, the error had to do with the fact that it was a test firing. Nuclear deterrence, the cornerstone of British defense, remains "safe and effective". As the Sun newspaper reported, the missile was launched into the air as planned using pressurized gas in the launch tube. However, the boosters of the first stage failed to ignite and the Trident, which was equipped with dummy warheads, crashed into the sea and sank. The Sky News channel quoted a source as saying that the launch would have been successful if it had actually been carried out with a nuclear warhead.

Second failed test
Sky News spoke of an "embarrassing setback" for the Royal Navy. It was the second failed test of a Trident nuclear missile, with an error having already occurred in 2016. The Sun newspaper wrote that both Defense Secretary Grant Shapps and Navy Commander Ben Key were on board the Vanguard to observe the test. The opposition expressed concern.

Vanguard-class submarines to be replaced soon
The submarine is one of four of the so-called Vanguard class that have been in service since the 1990s. They are to be replaced by larger Dreadnought-class submarines in the 2030s. According to the House of Commons Library, between 31 and 41 billion pounds (36 to 48 billion euros) are available for this.