BBC Radio 4 aired a documentary called The Human Button last night about the command and control system for Britain’s Trident fleet—and it’s available to listen to online for the next 5 days.
I haven’t heard the full thing yet but it is presented by the outstanding Peter Hennessey and covers some of the issues I blogged about a year or so ago. He got a very high level of access for the program, including being present on a submarine for a launch drill. He also interviewed Dennis Healey, a former Defence Secretary, who interestingly says that had the decision come to him he would have decided not to retaliate.
There’s a summary of the program here with some pictures including this classic piece of excruciating Britishness:
Caption: “The printed message is collected by the submarine’s executive officer who carries it to the control room. They hold the printed message aloft with an officer behind checking to make sure the message has not been switched.”