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Subject: UK Spy satellites, and an independent trident?
Johnny Frost    12/22/2003 3:52:57 AM
I have three questions, 1. How many military satellites does the UK posses and is there anywhere I could get details of them. 2. Could the UK use old Polaris missiles to put things in orbit? I think we have a specialist rocket for this that we developed out of Blue Streak etc. Does anyone have any details. 3. Finally Tony Benn a veteran CND member always mocks the Uk's so called independent Nuclear force, because he claims it can only be fired with US co-operation as the guidance systems rely on US satellites. Is he right?
 
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TankboiKelarius    RE:UK Spy satellites, and an independent trident?   12/22/2003 8:50:12 PM
1. I dont know 2. Would you want a 45 year old missile putting your expensive satelite into orbit? Also, I dont think that the polaris really has the ability to lift heavy satelites into any reasonable orbit for extended periods. These things are sub-launched and meant to be fired from a couple of hundred miles off the coast of the target nation, so they dont have the best range in the world. 3. US already has many C2 satelites in orbit. If youre GB, would you wanna spend the money to develop and field a guidance system if you can just use your very close allies? so my answers are invariably I dont know, no, and yes
 
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perfectgeneral    RE:UK Spy satellites, and an independent trident?   5/18/2005 1:58:47 PM
'If youre GB, would you wanna spend the money to develop and field a guidance system if you can just use your very close allies?' To paraphrase, if it isn't independent, would you wanna spend the money to procure and field a nuclear deterant system if you can just use your very close allies?
 
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RM-Nod    RE:UK Spy satellites, and an independent trident?   5/18/2005 3:40:11 PM
Just to contradict a few people lol :) 1) The main British military Satellite is the Skynet 4 communication system which is soon to be replaced by Skynet 5. You find details here link The other one is TopSat which is a limited surviellance satellite; it's not great but it does the job. If it's successful then the MoD is considering funding a full network of them. More info here... link 2) I agree with what was said earlier. 3) Trident warheads can be guided without the use of satellites by using stellar intertial guidance so the UK's deterent does not need the US to provide guidance. The US's only part in the UK's deterent is in servicing the joint stockpile.
 
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