Coalition Blues – The posture of the Coalition Government is in some turmoil on the subject of the future of the Strategic Deterrent.    The recent Government re-shuffle saw Nick Harvey shuffled out of office and as a Liberal Democrat was not offered another post, even though he seemingly was well regarded and certainly seemed on top of his brief at a recent meeting of the House of Commons Defence Committee.  It may well be he refused another post but his subsequent knighthood would indicate a new career in the House of Lords follows.

The reason for the manoeuvres over the now Sir Nicholas Barton Harvey, the member for North Devon; and until recently the Minister of State for the Armed Services, and leading proponent for finding and alternative to the replacement for the TRIDENT missile submarines that were not TRIDENT missile submarines is now apparent.   Maybe the announcement earlier this year in May (2012) of an initial £328m design phase contract with BAE Systems Maritime – Submarines was but the start of things.

The now all “Tory” Ministry of Defence has announced that it has awarded to BAE Systems a further £315m for ongoing design work for the replacement to the VANGUARD class submarines.      It would seem the plans are for the VANGUARD Class are to be replaced from 2028, and BAE Systems already has more than 1,000 employees working on the replacement programme, the majority of which are focused on developing the new submarine’s complex design.    

      There is of course the little matter of the 2015 General Election to negotiate before all this can be finalised.