Sale of Trident I Missiles to the United Kingdom White House Statement.

Today in London, the British Government is informing the House of Commons of its decision to modernize the British strategic nuclear deterrent force. In this connection, the British Government has requested that the United States sell the United Kingdom U.S. Trident I missiles. The Trident I missiles would be carried in new submarines built in Britain and would replace the existing British Polaris sea-based strategic missile force in the early 1990's. This request was formally conveyed in a letter from Prime Minister Thatcher to the President on July 10, 1980. In a letter sent to the Prime Minister yesterday, the President agreed that the United States will sell Trident I missiles to the United Kingdom.

Since the Second World War, the United States has cooperated intimately with the United Kingdom on nuclear matters. In President Roosevelt's administration, American and British scientists began working together on the development of nuclear weapons. In 1962 at Nassau, President Kennedy agreed to assist the British in the development of their strategic nuclear forces by selling Polaris missiles to the United Kingdom.

Today's announcement of Anglo-American cooperation on a modernized British Trident missile force signals a continuation of this longstanding cooperation, which is a central element in the close cooperation between the United States and the United Kingdom. This cooperation is, of course, not limited to the nuclear field and includes a strong U.K. conventional commitment to NATO, which Britain also intends to strengthen.

The administration believes the independent British strategic nuclear force which is assigned to NATO makes an important contribution to the ability of the North Atlantic Alliance to deter Soviet aggression. For this reason, the President decided to assist the United Kingdom in the maintenance of a modernized, independent British deterrent force into the 21st century.

This joint step by the United States and United Kingdom is part of the broader pattern of efforts by this administration and our allies in Europe to strengthen NATO defense capabilities—3-percent real growth in defense budgets, the NATO long-term defense program, and the NATO decision to modernize theater nuclear forces. It is a sign of our determination to strengthen close cooperation with our allies on sensitive security matters.