In a major embarrassment to the UK Royal Navy, a Trident nuclear missile misfired and crashed into the ocean near the submarine that launched it, last month. The test firing was conducted off the coast of Florida and it was the second consecutive time a Trident nuclear missile had failed.

UK Trident missile fail: Is the Royal Navy in crisis?

Big embarrassment: Alarm over UK's dying navy

In a major embarrassment to the UK Royal Navy, a Trident nuclear missile misfired and crashed into the ocean near the submarine that launched it, last month. The test firing&nbsp;was conducted off&nbsp;the coast of Florida and it was the second consecutive time a Trident nuclear missile had failed.&nbsp;

On Tuesday (Feb 20), the Ministry of Defence seemingly confirmed the failed test&nbsp;saying an "anomaly" occurred during the firing of the&nbsp;'Trident 2' ballistic missile.

Notably, Defence Secretary&nbsp;Grant Shapps and&nbsp;First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key were on board HMS Vanguard when the nuclear missile failed to get going.&nbsp;

According to reports, the crew responsible for the launch in the nuclear sub completed the doomsday drill perfectly before the Trident 2 missile&nbsp;was propelled into the air by compressed gas in the launch tube. However, its first-stage boosters failed to ignite and the 58-tonne missile – fitted with dummy warheads – splashed into the ocean and sank.

According to a source, quoted as saying by The Sun, the missile left the submarine but "just went plop", right next to the vessel.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-nukes-to-return-to-uk-evidence-suggests-process-underway-632762">Watch |&nbsp;US nukes to return to UK? Evidence suggests process underway</a>

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<h2>Statement by the government</h2>

The MoD looked at the silver lining after the failure and said "we are confident that the anomaly was event specific, and therefore there are no implications for the reliability of the wider Trident missile systems and stockpile".&nbsp;

The Tory ministers are expected to make a statement about what happened during the launch to the House of Commons on Wednesday (Feb 21).&nbsp;

Notably, it is the second time that a Trident missile launch has failed after a similar misfire was reported during the 2016 test. At the time, HMS Vengeance was used to fire the missile but moments after the launch, the Trident missile veered off course and automatically self-destructed.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/usas-new-intel-report-warns-of-russian-nuclear-capabilities-in-space-690379">Also read |&nbsp;'Satellite killer': Russia's name was not supposed to be revealed, but somebody leaked it</a>

Afterwards, the then-Theresa May government was accused of covering up the failed launch as parliament was due to vote on renewing the UK’s nuclear deterrent.

The failure of the missile launch comes at a time when a recent report stated that UK armed forces were overstretched and that in a peer-to-peer conflict, they would exhaust their capabilities in a "couple of months".&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

In a major embarrassment to the UK Royal Navy, a Trident nuclear missile misfired and crashed into the ocean near the submarine that launched it, last month. The test firing was conducted off the coast of Florida and it was the second consecutive time a Trident nuclear missile had failed. On Tuesday (Feb 20), the Ministry of Defence seemingly confirmed the failed test saying an "anomaly" occurred during the firing of the 'Trident 2' ballistic missile. Notably, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key were on board HMS Vanguard when the nuclear missile failed to get going. According to reports, the crew responsible for the launch in the nuclear sub completed the doomsday drill perfectly before the Trident 2 missile was propelled into the air by compressed gas in the launch tube. However, its first-stage boosters failed to ignite and the 58-tonne missile – fitted with dummy warheads – splashed into the ocean and sank. According to a source, quoted as saying by The Sun, the missile left the submarine but "just went plop", right next to the vessel. Watch | US nukes to return to UK? Evidence suggests process underway × Statement by the government The MoD looked at the silver lining after the failure and said "we are confident that the anomaly was event specific, and therefore there are no implications for the reliability of the wider Trident missile systems and stockpile". The Tory ministers are expected to make a statement about what happened during the launch to the House of Commons on Wednesday (Feb 21). Notably, it is the second time that a Trident missile launch has failed after a similar misfire was reported during the 2016 test. At the time, HMS Vengeance was used to fire the missile but moments after the launch, the Trident missile veered off course and automatically self-destructed. Also read | 'Satellite killer': Russia's name was not supposed to be revealed, but somebody leaked it Afterwards, the then-Theresa May government was accused of covering up the failed launch as parliament was due to vote on renewing the UK’s nuclear deterrent. The failure of the missile launch comes at a time when a recent report stated that UK armed forces were overstretched and that in a peer-to-peer conflict, they would exhaust their capabilities in a "couple of months". (With inputs from agencies)

Britain's Trident nuclear missile test fails for the second time in a row

British Prime Minister Theresa May told the BBC she has &quot;absolute faith&quot; in the UK&#39;s nuclear weapons system despite reports that an unarmed British nuclear Trident missile malfunctioned during a test last year.

&quot;I have absolute faith in our Trident missiles. When I made that speech in the House of Commons, what we were talking about was whether or not we should renew our Trident,&quot; she told the BBC.

The Sunday Times reported that the Trident II D5 missile experienced an &quot;alarming failure&quot;&nbsp;after being launched from a British submarine off the coast of Florida in June last year, just weeks before the crucial House of Commons vote on the future of the missile system.

In an interview with the BBC on Sunday, May repeatedly refused to say if she knew about the malfunction ahead of the vote.&nbsp;May&rsquo;s spokeswoman said she was told on taking office last year that a nuclear submarine and its crew had been successfully certified in tests.

&quot;On taking office, the current prime minister was briefed on a range of nuclear issues, including this,&quot; the spokeswoman told reporters.&nbsp;However, she declined to discuss operational details of the tests while talking to reporters, asserting that&nbsp;the capability and effectiveness of Trident missiles was not in question.

According to The Sunday Times, the missile was intended to be fired 5,600 miles to a sea target off the west coast of Africa but veered towards the US.

(WION)

The Sunday Times had reported that the Trident missile experienced an 'alarming failure'?after being launched from a British submarine

British Prime Minister Theresa May told the BBC she has "absolute faith" in the UK's nuclear weapons system despite reports that an unarmed British nuclear Trident missile malfunctioned during a test last year. "I have absolute faith in our Trident missiles. When I made that speech in the House of Commons, what we were talking about was whether or not we should renew our Trident," she told the BBC. The Sunday Times reported that the Trident II D5 missile experienced an "alarming failure" after being launched from a British submarine off the coast of Florida in June last year, just weeks before the crucial House of Commons vote on the future of the missile system. In an interview with the BBC on Sunday, May repeatedly refused to say if she knew about the malfunction ahead of the vote. May’s spokeswoman said she was told on taking office last year that a nuclear submarine and its crew had been successfully certified in tests. "On taking office, the current prime minister was briefed on a range of nuclear issues, including this," the spokeswoman told reporters. However, she declined to discuss operational details of the tests while talking to reporters, asserting that the capability and effectiveness of Trident missiles was not in question. According to The Sunday Times, the missile was intended to be fired 5,600 miles to a sea target off the west coast of Africa but veered towards the US. (WION)

I have absolute faith in our Trident missiles: British PM Theresa May

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