UK to test nuclear missile amid heightened global tensions: HMS Vanguard at sea

The Royal Navy is slated to test a nuclear weapon in the next few days, as reported by the British newspaper 'The Sun'. The HMS Vanguard submarine departed from Port Canaveral in Florida on a Tuesday morning, setting course for the Atlantic. The United Kingdom is preparing to launch an unarmed Trident 2 missile, a first since 2016.

The American National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has issued a cautionary warning for maritime transport about 'dangerous operations'. This alert remains in effect until the 4th of February. The submarine is predicted to launch a solo unarmed missile from approximately 90 kilometers (rounded from 56 miles) off the United States East Coast. The rocket is forecasted to travel a distance of about 5954 kilometers (rounded from 3700 miles) before ending its course over the waters between Brazil and West Africa.

After undergoing extensive renovation, the HMS Vanguard exited the port in Plymouth, UK, last year. The renovation, as mentioned in 'The Sun', cost an exorbitant £500 million. Upon successful completion of the test, the submarine will join the UK's nuclear deterrent fleet.

The previous test of this nature, conducted in 2016, ended in failure. The missile, launched from the HMS Vengeance submarine, veered from its trajectory and self-destructed due to its inability to hit the target. A quote from a source in the Royal Navy, cited by 'The Sun', suggested the shocking fact that British submarines loaded with nuclear missiles possess the capacity to carry explosive loads surpassing the entire volume dropped during World War II.

Source: The Sun