Trident, launch authority, and shared nuclear infrastructure

The comparison treats Trident's operational independence separately from its American origin. The missile is described as using star fixes rather than GPS, while the British launch decision is assigned to the submarine's senior officers instead of an automated command system. That account is used to argue that purchasing the F-35 does not reduce dependence on American systems. Shared missiles with the United States and warhead work at a shared facility in France are then presented as parallel questions about sovereignty. The description of the French facility is a claim made in this exchange, not a detailed account of the division of nuclear work between the two countries.