§ 4. Dr. Brayasked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the submarine reactor and bow and stern sections ordered or to be ordered for the Trident programme will be usable for hunter-killer submarines in the event of the cancellation of Trident.
§ Mr. NottThe great majority of the structural steel and the contents of the bow and stern sections for the new Trident submarines, including the reactor, could be used in a hunter-killer nuclear submarine with relatively little modification.
§ Dr. BrayCan the Secretary of State confirm that that is so for both the C4 and D5 systems? Does this also mean that there is considerable flexibility in the date of cancellation for the Trident programme, in that great losses would not be involved if it were cancelled at a later stage?
§ Mr. NottWe still have not finally settled the size and shape of the submarine. In answer to later questions I shall 407 explain to the House that I hope to make a statement about this in due course. It is primarily the centre section of the ballistic missile submarine that is broadly irrelevant to a hunter-killer role. The bow and stern sections and most of the sonar and electronics would be relevant to an SSN programme. Clearly, the further the Trident programme goes down the line, the more difficult it will be to draw back or to change it.