𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Britain needs a second, fully independent nuclear weapons system to deter Russia, a leading expert has warned. A second weapons system would bolster the UK’s Trident submarines while eliminating future nuclear reliance on the United States, according to work by the Policy Exchange think tank’s nuclear enterprise commission.

Professor Wyn Bowen argues in a new work that while the UK is right to purchase 12 F-35A aircraft, Britain will be limited on how it can act in a crisis because these will use US nuclear weapons and be subject to a de facto American veto.

Further research from Policy Exchange highlights concerns that the effectiveness of Trident as a potential deterrent may be reduced if Russia and China construct a new generation of dome-style systems to block incoming missiles.

Experts are increasingly considering how the UK and European allies could respond without US support in a nuclear crisis. Questions about President Trump’s commitment to the NATO alliance are a key reason why European states are under pressure to radically strengthen their armed forces.

Prof Bowen, who is based in the department of war studies at King’s College London, argues that “additional systems would bolster the UK’s role as a separate centre of decision-making and underpin NATO’s nuclear security in the event that the US is perceived, for whatever reason, as being unable to take the lead in a future European nuclear crisis.”

He suggests the US may be “unable or unwilling to act, either for domestic political or broader, strategic reasons, such as an unwillingness to escalate a European conflict to prevent being overstretched in the Pacific”.

However, he notes that “with the United Kingdom in a precarious fiscal position, the contours of any future nuclear capability will be heavily conditioned and constrained by what the government can afford.”

An MOD spokesperson said: “This Government has absolute confidence in the credibility and effectiveness of the UK’s independent nuclear deterrent. It protects us every moment of every day. As we face an increasingly volatile world, our nuclear deterrent is more important than ever.

“Following the Strategic Defence Review, we are investing £15billion in the UK’s sovereign nuclear warhead programme, procuring 12 nuclear capable F35-As, and modernising our infrastructure.

“We are a leader in the Alliance – committing our nuclear deterrent in full to the defence of NATO, and we will join NATO’s Dual Capable Aircraft mission, keeping Britain safe at home and strong abroad.”

Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge said: “I wrote back in May 2025 for the Express that we needed to make our nuclear deterrent more flexible and resilient, including alternative launch methods to the submarines. This would enable us to have more answers on the escalatory ladder, if Putin threatened us and our allies with tactical nuclear weapons. So when Labour said they would join the NATO dual capable alliance, including new F35A fighters to carry US air launched nuclear weapons, I supported the announcement. But this may now be at risk from Labour’s total failure to fund the [defence investment plan], which is why Kemi and I have offered to work with the Government in the national interest, to cut welfare and properly fund defence”.