UK to conduct first nuclear missile test in eight years amid global tensions

Reports from the British newspaper, "The Sun", suggest that the Royal Navy will conduct a nuclear weapon test within a few days. On Tuesday morning, the HMS Vanguard submarine departed from Port Canaveral in Florida, setting course for the Atlantic. For the first time since 2016, the United Kingdom intends to launch an unarmed Trident 2 rocket.

"Dangerous operations" threatening maritime transport have prompted an alert from the American National Geospatial Intelligence Agency. This alert is expected to remain in effect until February 4. The submarine is anticipated to launch a single unarmed missile approximately 56 miles off the East Coast of the United States. The missile is predicted to cover a distance of about 3,700 miles before ending its journey over the waters between Brazil and West Africa.

After undergoing substantial renovations last year, the HMS Vanguard departed from Plymouth, UK. "The Sun" reported these renovations cost 500 million pounds. Upon successful completion of the test, the submarine is expected to resume its role within the UK's nuclear deterrent fleet.

The last test of this nature took place in 2016 and it ended unsuccessfully. The missile fired from the HMS Vengeance submarine failed to hit its target, veered off course, and ultimately self-destructed. A source within the Royal Navy, mentioned in "The Sun", shared that British submarines laden with nuclear missiles could potentially carry a larger explosive payload than the combined explosives dropped throughout the Second World War.

Source: The Sun