Trident missile crashes into the sea during launch test as MoD admits ‘anomaly’

A Trident missile fired from a Royal Navy submarine during a test firing has failed and crashed into the sea, the second unsuccessful attempt in eight years.

The missile, which would carry a nuclear warhead outside of a test scenario, crashed close to the launch site after its boosters failed shortly after launch on 30 January.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and the head of the UK Navy were on board the HMS Vanguard, the submarine that fired the missile, during the failed test which took place off the coast of Florida in the United States, according to The Sun.

This is the second time in recent years that a test firing of a Trident warhead has failed after a 2016 attempt saw the missile veer off course and self-destruct.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed an “anomaly occurred” during exercise but insisted that the nuclear deterrent remains “effective”.

“As a matter of national security, we cannot provide further information on this, however, we are confident that the anomaly was event-specific, and therefore there are no implications for the reliability of the wider Trident missile systems and stockpile,” it said in a statement.

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“The UK’s nuclear deterrent remains safe, secure and effective.”

The statement added that Trident was the “most reliable weapons system in the world” having completed more than 190 successful tests.

Shadow Defence Secretary John Healey said that the reports of the failed test were “concerning” and called for more clarity from the Government.

“The Defence Secretary will want to reassure Parliament that this test has no impact on the effectiveness of the UK’s deterrent operations,” he added.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will face MPs today for Prime Minister’s Questions when he may be quizzed on the details of the failed test.

It comes at a time of rising global tensions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Both Russia and Israel have nuclear weapons, alongside the United States, France, China, Pakistan, India and North Korea.

Trident is the UK’s nuclear defence system and includes armed submarines, missiles and warheads as part of the programme.

Each Trident missile, such as the one used in the recent test, is estimated to cost around £17m, and around £3bn is expected to be spent on the programme between 2023 and 2024.

The current Vanguard class of submarines are due to be phased out by 2032 and replaced by the Dreadnought class, and it was estimated in 2016 that the renewal of the programme could cost between £167bn and £179bn over its 30-year life span.