Editing British Armed Forces (section)

===Nuclear weapons===
{{Main|Nuclear weapons of the United Kingdom}}
[[File:Trident II missile image.jpg|thumb|A [[UGM-133 Trident II|Trident II SLBM]] being launched from a {{sclass|Vanguard|submarine|2}}]]
The United Kingdom is one of five recognised nuclear weapon states under the [[Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons|Non-Proliferation Treaty]] and maintains an independent [[Deterrence theory|nuclear deterrent]], currently consisting of four {{sclass|Vanguard|submarine|0}} [[ballistic missile submarine]]s, [[UGM-133 Trident II]] [[submarine-launched ballistic missile]]s, and 160 operational [[Thermonuclear weapon|thermonuclear warheads]]. This is known as [[Trident nuclear programme|Trident]] in both public and political discourse (with nomenclature taken after the UGM-133 Trident II ballistic missile). Trident is operated by the [[Royal Navy Submarine Service]], charged with delivering a 'Continuous At-Sea Deterrent' (CASD) capability, whereby one of the ''Vanguard''-class strategic submarines is always on patrol.<ref name="CASD">[http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/operations/global/continuous-at-sea-deterrent Royal Navy – Continuous at sea deterrent] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141209103234/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/operations/global/continuous-at-sea-deterrent |date=9 December 2014 }}, royalnavy.mod.uk, Accessed 6 December 2014</ref> According to the British Government, since the introduction of [[UK Polaris programme|Polaris]] (Trident's predecessor) in the 1960s, from April 1969 "the Royal Navy's ballistic missile boats have not missed a single day on patrol",<ref name="CASD"/> giving what the [[Defence Council of the United Kingdom|Defence Council]] described in 1980 as a deterrent "effectively invulnerable to pre-emptive attack".<ref name="Future Deterrent">{{cite web | url=http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/6AC6FE79AE5E485DB3A2B579B6AE0654.pdf | title=The Future United Kingdom Strategic Deterrent Force | publisher=The Defence Council | date=July 1980 | access-date=17 May 2012}}</ref> As of 2015, it has been British Government policy for the ''Vanguard''-class strategic submarines to carry no more than 40 nuclear warheads, delivered by eight UGM-133 Trident II ballistic missiles.<ref>[https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm150120/wmstext/150120m0001.htm#15012039000004 House of Commons Hansard - Written Statements - Nuclear Deterrent] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917213853/https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmhansrd/cm150120/wmstext/150120m0001.htm#15012039000004 |date=17 September 2017 }}, publications.parliament.uk, 20 January 2015</ref> In contrast with the other recognised nuclear weapon states, the United Kingdom operates only a submarine-based delivery system, having decommissioned its tactical [[WE.177]] free-fall bombs in 1998.

The [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] voted on 18 July 2016 in favour of replacing the ''Vanguard''-class submarines with a new generation of {{sclass|Dreadnought|submarine|1}}s.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36830923 |date=19 July 2016 |newspaper=[[BBC News Online]] |title=MPS vote to renew Trident weapons system - BBC News |access-date=21 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160718213716/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36830923 |archive-date=18 July 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> The programme will also contribute to extending the life of the UGM-133 Trident II ballistic missiles and modernise the infrastructure associated with the CASD.<ref name="WhitePaper">{{cite web|url=http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/AC00DD79-76D6-4FE3-91A1-6A56B03C092F/0/DefenceWhitePaper2006_Cm6994.pdf|title=The Future of the United Kingdom's Nuclear Deterrent|date=4 December 2006|publisher=[[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Defence]]|access-date=5 December 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061206004317/http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/AC00DD79-76D6-4FE3-91A1-6A56B03C092F/0/DefenceWhitePaper2006_Cm6994.pdf|archive-date=6 December 2006|url-status=live}}</ref>

Former [[United Kingdom and weapons of mass destruction|weapons of mass destruction possessed by the United Kingdom]] include both biological and [[Chemical weapons and the United Kingdom|chemical weapons]]. These were renounced in 1956 and subsequently destroyed.