While the government sets about slashing public expenditure in Scotland, there is one area which remains untouched - Trident nuclear weapons. On Wednesday 3rd December, Donald Dewar announced a real reduction in the amount spent in Scotland. While he was saying this, I was watching as the third Trident submarine, HMS Vigilant, emerged from the nuclear weapons store at Coulport, now fully armed with Trident missiles and nuclear warheads. For the last two years we have had two armed nuclear submarines - now we have three.
Vigilant test fired two Trident missiles in the USA in October, loaded up with missiles and returned to the Clyde. It sailed into the Explosives Handling Jetty at Coulport on 19th November and spent 14 days loading nuclear warheads onto the missiles. As it was towed down Loch Long, it passed another Trident submarine, HMS Victorious, which was carrying out trials.
There will be a final technical inspection of Vigilant on Friday 5th December, after which it will become operational. We do not expect that the submarine will sail to sea for some time. HMS Vanguard is expected to remain on patrol until after Christmas.
John Ainslie