… to give a talk about the UK debate over whether to build a successor to the Vanguard class of submarines. It’s part of a session on Evidence-based policy or policy-based evidence? Nuclear weapons decision making in Europe at The Euroscience Open Forum 2008.
Have a good weekend.
Missiles nowadays are far more accurate (smaller subs can do the job with fewer missiles) and the Soviet threat is no more so why not sell the Vanguards off as MOD surplus pleasure craft? Who wouldn’t enjoy sailing one along the Norfolk coast on a breezy Sunday afternoon?
Great picture…
Is it just a coincidence or are you trying to hint at the possible cost overrun and massive delays?
LOL
See you on the panel tomorrow. Should be interesting.
For Wonk readers not familiar with Barcelona, you should have mentioned that the picture is NOT a Spanish ICBM field or an alternative to Trident replacement, but the extraordinary church La Sagrada Familia, an unfinished masterpiece by Gaudi.
Barcelona is a great town, enjoy yourself!
Btw, given what a complete dog’s breakfast the UK gov’t has made of updating the equipment of its conventional forces, I don’t see where they get off wanting to update their more than adequate submarine deterrent.
Dear Mr.Acton,
I do hope that You will have a great weekend.Maybe it will be possible to correct the link to The Europscience Open Forum- because it does not work-No openness!
to party or visit the beach go down to Sitges about 20min away from Barcelona.
As long as that submarine comes equipped with anti-box-cutter1 torpedoes, shoe-bomb-neutralizer missiles, and advanced rail-bomb radar, I say we buy a gazillion of them!
I only want a gazillion because I want to protect the people, while some people, those people who don’t want a gazillion, those people want to take chances with your life. It should be clear to anyone who the real humanist is in that argument.
[1] Yes, I know. They were really small, kitchen knives.