WHY TRIDENT? - A Naval Officer and Policy Critique on UK Nuclear Deterrence

Oct 4, 2026

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WHY TRIDENT? gathers Commander Robert Forsyth RN (Ret’d)’s examination of the UK’s submarine-borne nuclear deterrent, combining perspectives on policy, legal responsibility, and strategic credibility. The book frames arguments around the “case against” UK Trident, the UK approach to nuclear deterrence and deterrence theory, and the implications for Trident SSBN commanding officers. It also addresses Chilcot-era concerns, parliamentary involvement, and a correspondence with the Ministry of Defence, supported by legal and historical appendices.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages108

Reading Time4 h 32 min

AccessFree to download

Foreword

The role and credibility of British nuclear deterrence

Introduction

Overview by Professor Nick Grief

Chapter I

The Case Against UK Trident: A Naval Officer’s Perspective

Chapter II

UK Nuclear Deterrence Policy and the Trident Nuclear Weapon System

Part 1 - The Concept of Nuclear Deterrence

Part 2 - A Review of UK Nuclear Weapon Policy

Part 3 - UK Nuclear Policy, International and Military Law, the UK Government’s Position, and Consequences for Trident SSBN Commanding Officers

Postscript

The Law and Moral Responsibility

Chapter III

Chilcot, Trident and Jeopardy

Chapter IV

Correspondence with the Ministry of Defence (Nuclear Policy), November 2017–November 2019

Appendices

Hiroshima and Nagasaki

International Law and Nuclear Weapons

UK Nuclear Weapons

UK Dependency on US

UK Parliament Select Committee on Defence (7 March 2006)

Submission to the Integrated Review (September 2020)

WHY TRIDENT? Commander Robert Forsyth RN (Ret’d) SPOKESMAN FrontMatter_Template.qxd 28/10/2020 10:34 Page 2 First published in 2020 Spokesman 5 Churchill Park Nottingham, NG4 2HF, England [www.spokesmanbooks.com](www.spokesmanbooks.com) Spokesman is the publishing imprint of the Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation Ltd.© Robert Forsyth All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or any part thereof, may not be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. ISBN 978 085124 8905 A cataloguing-in-publication (CIP) record is available from the British Library. [Cover photo: downloaded from defenceimagery.mod.uk](Cover photo: downloaded from defenceimagery.mod.uk) and used under the MOD (Consent Licence) and OGL (Open Government Licence) . FrontMatter_Template.qxd 28/10/2020 10:34 Page 3 Contents Foreword: Vice Admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham KCB MA Introduction: Professor Nick Grief BA PhD Barrister Chapter I The Case Against UK Trident A Naval Officer’s Perspective Chapter II UK Nuclear Deterrence Policy and the Trident Nuclear Weapon System Part 1 - The Concept of Nuclear Deterrence Part 2 -A Review of UK Nuclear Weapon Policy Part 3 -UK Nuclear Policy, International and Military Law, the UK Government’s Position, and Consequences for Trident SSBN Commanding Officers Postscript -The Law – and Moral Responsibility Annexe to Postscript -An Exchange of Letters References Chapter III Chilcot, Trident and Jeopardy Re-Targetting Trident-Parliament should be involved Trident SSBN Commanding Officers Discharge of Responsibility Chapter IV Correspondence between Commander Robert Forsyth RN (Ret’d) and the Ministry of Defence (Nuclear Policy), November 2017-November 2019 In conclusion 1 9 17 24 33 36 39 45 50 55 75 FrontMatter_Template.qxd 28/10/2020 10:34 Page 4 Appendices I: Hiroshima and Nagasaki II: International Law and Nuclear Weapons III: UK Nuclear Weapons IV: UK Dependency on US V: UK Parliament Select Committee on Defence 7 March 2006 VI: Submission to the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, September 2020 Acknowledgements About the author 77 80 84 86 87 92 96 98 FrontMatter_Template.qxd 28/10/2020 10:34 Page 5 Foreword Vice Admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham KCB MA The British submarine-borne nuclear deterrent was first deployed in 1969, at the height of the Cold War, and has been an unchallengeable cornerstone of British defence and security ever since. But in that time much has changed. Many more countries now possess, or have the means to possess, nuclear weapons; international relationships are different and more complex; critical threats emanate from non-state actors. British international influence has declined, not least because of her reduced conventional military power and the growth of new forms of warfare, perhaps less amenable to nuclear dissuasion. However, the conventional forces that Britain has chosen to retain are now sufficiently reduced to lower very significantly the nuclear threshold, the point at which a decision to use nuclear weapons or rather to seek an accommodation is reached. Some people, of whom I am one, believe that a lower nuclear threshold greatly undermines the credibility of our nuclear deterrent because an adversary with far greater conventional and nuclear capability may not believe we would use it, or may conclude that he can win a conventional war before he has exhausted his conventional options or before we have found ourselves at a level of threat which could justify unleashing mutual nuclear destruction. Deterrence would have failed before nuclear forces came into play. One might even argue that we have deterred ourselves rather t

FAQs

What is the central argument of WHY TRIDENT?

The book presents a critical examination of the credibility and necessity of the UK’s Trident nuclear deterrent, arguing that changes in threats and conventional capability can undermine deterrence.

Which topics are covered in Chapter II?

Chapter II reviews the concept of nuclear deterrence, UK nuclear weapon policy, and the interaction of UK policy with international and military law, including implications for SSBN commanding officers.

What additional materials support the main discussions?

The book includes a postscript on law and moral responsibility, an annex of exchanged letters, and multiple appendices covering historical and legal dimensions such as Hiroshima and Nagasaki and international law and nuclear weapons.

Oct 4, 2026

Upload by Liam