The Bulldog's Last Bark?
' Our backroom boys have put Britain right out in front.' Such was a newsreel comment shortly after the testing of the first British ' A ' bomb in 1952. At that time our aircraft industry was supporting three full-scale ' A 'bomber projects and we were spending ten per cent of our national wealth on defence.
Now our four-strong Polaris submarine fleet is based on American technology and there are many doubts about whether we can afford or justify the next stages in nuclear weapons. Has the British deterrent become simply a vestige of Britain's once important role in the world?
This programme looks at the story of Britain and its nuclear deterrent from the first decision to manufacture it to the present day.
Narrator PAUL VAUGHAN
Film editor ROY FRY
Editor PETER GOODCHiLD Producer BRIAN GIBSON