A nuclear deterrent test which saw a missile fired from a British submarine “plop” into the sea nearby was successful in almost every regard, a minister insisted on Monday.
Nuclear and renewables minister Andrew Bowie stressed the Government had “full confidence” in the Trident nuclear defence system.
He was grilled on the issue after details of a second seemingly failed test emerged last month.
A dummy missile reportedly “plopped” into the sea beside the Royal Navy submarine from which it was fired off the coast of Florida in the United States.
Mr Bowie told LBC Radio: “We have got full confidence in the system.
“That specific test actually was successful in almost every regard.”
Pressed by presenter Nick Ferrari on the extent of the success, he added: “The entire process.
“The sailors on board that submarine executed that plan, executed that programme, that project was indeed successful and we have got full confidence in Trident to be able to deliver our national security needs moving forward.”
During the exercise earlier this year, a dummy Trident 2 missile was propelled into the air by compressed gas in its launch tube, but its so-called first stage boosters did not ignite, The Sun reported.
A source told the newspaper: “It left the submarine but it just went plop, right next to them.”
The failure was said to be the second misfiring in a row, with a test launch of a Trident missile by the Royal Navy off the coast of the US in June 2016 also said not to have gone entirely to plan.
The Ministry of Defence admitted an “anomaly occurred” during an exercise that took place on January 30 this year, on board the nuclear-powered submarine HMS Vanguard.
But officials said there remained “absolute confidence” in Britain’s constant at-sea nuclear deterrent and that it continues to be “secure and effective”.
One suggestion was that the missile had fired as planned but then something had gone wrong with its trajectory.
Defence Secretary Grant Shapps was on-board the 150 metre vessel at the time of the incident, as was Royal Navy chief First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key.
