Master and Commander
Posts: 1893
Location: Patterson, New York | Subject: British Trident Orders
I found this interesting. This stuff went on back in the Polaris days also.
GO TO AUSTRALIA OR USE YOUR OWN JUDGMENT
Richard Norton-Taylor
Thursday June 28, 2007
The Guardian
After the pomp and ceremony of his departure from Buckingham Palace, his speech on the doorstep at No 10, and a partial reshuffle, Gordon Brown's role as prime minister began with an onerous and somewhat sobering task. Tony Blair, when faced with the duty, immediately went white in the face, said onlookers. John Major couldn't face it: he went home for the weekend.
As prime minister, with ultimate responsibility for Britain's nuclear deterrent, Mr Brown has to write a letter, in his own hand, giving instructions detailing what the UK's response should be in the event of a pre-emptive nuclear attack.
The letter will be opened only by the commander of a British Trident submarine, who would have to assume that the prime minister was no longer in a position to take "live" command of the situation. The options are said to include the orders: "Put yourself under the command of the US, if it is still there"; "go to Australia"; "retaliate"; "or use your own judgment".
Each new prime minister writes the letter as soon as he or she takes office after being "indoctrinated" by the chief of the defence staff, who explains precisely what damage a Trident missile could cause. The letter is destroyed when they leave office.
According to Peter Hennessy, professor of contemporary history at Queen Mary, London University, Mr Blair "went white" on being receiving his briefing. "The nuclear bit shakes them all. Then you realise you are prime minister, at a deeper level," he said.
Though nothing is known of Mr Blair's written instruction, James Callaghan is said to have authorised retaliation. When John Major had to make the decision, he cancelled a weekend at Chequers and went home to Huntingdon.
Mr Brown's orders would be sent by special low frequency or satellite communications to the submarine commander. They would first be verified by two officials in the Cabinet Office, and then two at the armed forces' permanent joint headquarters in Northwood, north-west London.
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British Trident Orders
