Would nuclear-armed aircraft strengthen Britain's deterrent?

Fleet proposes nuclear-armed aircraft as a second delivery method in case the single British submarine on patrol is followed and destroyed. The case for diversification is that an adversary would then have to disable both the submarine and the aircraft at the same time. Dr. Clarke and other participants object that fixed air bases are easier first-strike targets and that aircraft sitting on the ground do not provide the same survivability as a hidden submarine. Continuous airborne alert would introduce accident risks, while beginning such patrols during a crisis would itself signal escalation. Preparing and authorising nuclear weapons also takes time. Fleet maintains that an imperfect second system still complicates the opponent's task, and the disagreement remains unresolved. Increasing the number of ballistic-missile submarines is proposed as an easier alternative near the end.