Archive

Large scale document archive

1980 Jun 10 - 1981 Nov 12
Prime Ministerial Private Office files

PREM19/417
Defence (UK Strategic Nuclear Deterrent) (Part 3)

Source: TNA, PREM19 series
Release date: 2011 Dec 30
Classification: Top Secret
Page count: 276

PREM19/417 - download whole file (PDF, 34.41 MB)

Selections from this file

Showing items 21 - 40 of 41

Date Value Title
80 Jul 15 Tu Minor Cold War: Armstrong PS minute to Private Secretaries ("British Strategic Nuclear Force") [acquiring Trident: leak to New York Times] [declassified 2011]
80 Jul 15 Tu Major Cold War: MT letter to Prime Minister Cossiga of Italy (replacement of Polaris: acquisition of Trident) [UK approaching US to request supply of Trident] [declassified 2011]
80 Jul 16 We Major Cold War: Armstrong briefing for MT ("Cabinet: Parliamentary Affairs") [acquiring Trident: announcement of decision to acquire Trident from US; Cabinet discussion] [declassified 2011]
80 Jul 16 We Major Cold War: Armstrong minute to Whitmore (acquisition of Polaris: account of Macmillan's negotiations with Kennedy and reference of decision to Cabinet) [acquiring Trident] [declassified 2011]
80 Jul 17 Th Major Cold War: No.10 letter to MOD ("Plutonium Loan Arrangements") [acquiring Trident: MT happy with proposed loan of "a quantity of plutonium" from US] [declassified 2011]
80 Jul 21 Mo Major Cold War: Armstrong minute to MT (Henderson obtains copy of White House briefing for Congressional Leaders on Trident) [acquiring Trident] [declassified 2011]
80 Jul 23 We Major Cold War: Chancellor Schmidt letter to MT (replacement of Polaris: acquisition of Trident) ["I welcome the decision taken by the United Kingdom"] [declassified 2011]
80 Jul 24 Th Major Cold War: Prime Minister Cossiga of Italy letter to MT (replacement of Polaris: acquisition of Trident) [supports UK decision] [declassified 2011]
80 Sep 9 Tu Major Cold War: Armstrong minute to MT ("British Nuclear Tests") [designing warheads for Trident missiles] [declassified 2011]
80 Sep 9 Tu Major Cold War: Gilmour minute to MT ("British Underground Nuclear Test Programme") [testing Trident] [declassified 2011]
80 Oct 14 Tu Major Cold War: MOD letter to No.10 ("Chevaline Flight Trials") [Polaris: final series of Chevaline trials] [declassified 2011]
81 Jul 15 We Major Cold War: Nott minute to MT ("Trident") [need to take decisions about aspects of the Trident force, including submarine design] [declassified 2011]
81 Jul 24 Fr Major Cold War: Armstrong minute to Whitmore ("Trident") [Armstrong speaks to Ed Meese about Trident] [declassified 2011]
81 Aug 21 Fr Major Cold War: Nott minute to MT ("US Strategic Nuclear Decision") [Nott meets with US Defense Secretary Weinberger; Reagan to announce decisions on nuclear weapons] [declassified 2011]
81 Aug 24 Mo Major Cold War: US Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger letter to MT (US makes D-5 missile available to UK) [Trident] [declassified 2011]
81 Sep 1 Tu Major Cold War: Chancellor of the Exchequer minute to MT ("Trident") [need to decide whether to accept US offer of D-5 missiles] [declassified 2011]
81 Sep 14 Mo Major Cold War: MT letter to US Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger (US makes D-5 missile available to UK) [UK to consider offer] [declassified 2011]
81 Sep 14 Mo Major Cold War: Nott minute to MT ("UK Strategic Nuclear Force") [Trident: choice between C-4 and D-5 missiles] [declassified 2011]
81 Sep 17 Th Major Cold War: Chancellor of the Exchequer minute to MT ("UK Strategic Nuclear Force") [Trident: choice between C-4 and D-5 missiles] [declassified 2011]
81 Sep 29 Tu Major Cold War: No.10 letter to MOD ("Trident Negotiations") [Lord Trenchard's visit to the US] [declassified 2011]