Sentry Contributor

In an era of escalating global threats and competition, NATO’s ability to deter aggression by near-peer competitors and meet threats with a unified and capable front is key to ensuring security, Adm. Sir Tony Radakin, United Kingdom chief of defense staff, said during a December 2024 speech to the Royal United Services Institute in London.

“The value of deterrence and collective security is real for our Allies in Eastern Europe — countries whose borders have been progressively shaped and reshaped by autocratic and expansionist powers and feel the proximity of Russia’s aggression every day,” Radakin said. “If we step back for a moment, we can see our strengths. A NATO that spends more on defense than Russia and China combined and is becoming even stronger. An international community that has responded to Russia’s aggression with unprecedented cohesion and resolve.”

The U.K.’s Operation Relentless nuclear deterrent, delivered through its Vanguard-class submarines equipped with Trident II D5 ballistic missiles, provides a continuous at-sea deterrent and ensures that at least one nuclear powered and armed ballistic missile submarine is at sea at all times. By the time one vessel is ready to dock, the next vessel is already at sea and patrolling. The operation, launched in 1969, is the U.K.’s longest sustained military operation.

“The U.K.’s nuclear deterrent works every hour of every day to guarantee our safety and that of our NATO Allies, with our adversaries knowing that any benefit they may gain from attacking us will be outweighed by the consequences for them,” the Ministry of Defence said in a news release. The U.K.’s nuclear policy undergoes regular review and is adjusted to the evolving security environment.

The U.K. also contributes to NATO’s conventional forces. The recent deployment of U.K. aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, in joint exercises with NATO Allies, highlights the U.K.’s commitment to maintaining a robust and versatile defense posture. These carriers enhance NATO’s ability to project power and deter threats in key regions including the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean.

Radakin noted that the United States is “willing to extend their nuclear umbrella to Allies and Partners and guarantee their security.” The partnership between the U.K. and the U.S. continues to grow, as the two countries participate in NATO exercises and operations, as well as joint training and exercises to enhance interoperability.

“The U.K.’s nuclear deterrent is the one part of our inventory of which Russia is most aware and has more impact on Putin than anything else,” Radakin said. “This is why successive British governments are investing substantial sums of money to renew both our submarines and warheads and to recapitalize our nuclear enterprise even though the real benefits won’t be realized for another decade at least. Previously governments believed they were doing the right thing. Now they know they really are.”

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