Fact check: Warheads for Trident missiles are manufactured in UK

Green Party leader Zack Polankski said the UK’s nuclear warheads are leased from the United States.

In a post on social media, Mr Polanski said: “Trident… doesn’t work & leases the warheads from… the USA.”

Evaluation

The warheads – the part of the missiles that contain the explosives – are made in Britain. The missiles themselves are produced in the US.

The facts

A warhead is an explosive device that is fitted to a missile. The UK’s nuclear submarines – called the Vanguard Class – are armed with Trident II D5 missiles, commonly known as Trident.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) states on its website that the nuclear warheads in Trident missiles are made in the UK.

“Warhead design and manufacture is carried out at AWE Nuclear Security Technologies in Berkshire,” it said.

The Trident missiles are built in the US, picked up by submarines and taken to Scotland where the warheads are fitted.

The MoD said: “The Trident missile system is designed and manufactured in the United States. The procurement of the Trident system by the UK is enabled through the 1963 PSA (Polaris Sales Agreement), as amended for Trident.

“The UK buys title to an agreed number of a shared stock of Trident missiles which are maintained at the Kings Bay Submarine Base, Georgia, where they are loaded into UK SSBNs (ballistic missile submarines).

“The UK-manufactured warheads are fitted to the missiles at His Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde in Scotland.”

The same arrangements will remain in place when the UK’s next class of submarines – the Dreadnought Class – enters service.

The UK’s nuclear defence also relies on the US for maintenance.

Links

Post on X (archived)

Cambridge Dictionary (archived)

MoD – The UK’s nuclear deterrent: the National Endeavour explained (archived)

MoD – Defence Nuclear Enterprise 2025 Annual Update to Parliament (archived)

Chatham House – The UK’s nuclear deterrent relies on US support – but there are no other easy alternatives (archived)