Trident (Hansard, 19 December 1991)

§ Mr. Macdonald
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the maximum number of nuclear warheads the United Kingdom's Trident missiles will be capable of carrying;
(2) what potential exists for the number of warheads on the United Kingdom's Trident missiles to be increased during their operational lifespan.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
The actual number of warheads which will be carried by the D5 missile in United Kingdom service, and the maximum number that could be, is classified information. The Government have, however, made it clear that each United Kingdom Trident submarine will carry no more than 128 warheads.

§ Mr. Macdonald
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the maximum number of nuclear warheads that the United States Trident D5 missiles are capable of carrying.

§ Mr. Archie Hamilton
Warhead numbers on the United States' Trident missiles are a matter for the United States Government. In their joint summit statement of December 1987, however, the United States and Soviet Governments confirmed the assumption that the United States Trident II (DS) missile would be deployed with eight warheads.

§ Mr. Macdonald
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what payments have already been made by Her Majesty's Government to the United States Government towards the research and development costs of the warhead for the United Kingdom's Trident missiles; and if he will make a statement;
(2) how much the United Kingdom is paying the United States Government towards the research and development costs of the warhead for the United Kingdom's Trident missiles; if this is a fixed amount; and how the payments are made.

§ Mr. Alan Clark
The United Kingdom has developed its own warhead for use with the Trident missile system. It is not in the national interest to reveal research and development costs of such projects.