This is a little gem from the wayback machine
“The Americans recently said they would cut the number of missiles on their submarines from 24 to 16.
The MoD’s announcement that Britain will use a 12-tube unit is thought to be the first public acknowledgement of its kind. Mr Ingram suggested Britain and the US had compromised between their respective preferences – eight and 16 missiles – with the 12-tube unit figure.
It could spark outrage among Republican members of Congress, who expressed concern about the negative impact cutting the number of missiles on board America’s submarines from 24 to 16 could have on the US’ national security.
The MoD refused to confirm whether a compromise had taken place, or whether the UK would have to increase the size of the new submarines as a result.
“Discussions with the US are ongoing,” a spokesperson said.
The US’ Ohio-class submarine fleet entered service a few years before Britain’s current Trident submarines – but they have a 40-year lifetime, compared to the 30-year lifetime of Britain’s nuclear submarines.”
Thursday, 26, May 2011 12:05
“Delving further into the piece, it was claimed by Defence Secretary Liam Fox insisted in the Commons that the overall Trident bill would not rise above the £20 billion budget originally announced in 2006.”
A more recent figure I had heard for the whole life Trident Programme was one third of a trillion pounds,
that subs, missiles breaking them up – the lot.