Continuous at-sea deterrence treats the nuclear force as a standing posture. Britain lacks an acceptable land area for the weapons in this proposal, and aircraft or space basing introduces risks the plan rejects. A submarine already on patrol does not need a visible readiness change as tensions rise. Fueling, arming, or deploying a nuclear force during a crisis would send a new signal that an opponent might read as an immediate threat.
Notable Point · 36:05-36:54
Continuous at-sea deterrence as a standing posture
A ballistic-missile submarine kept continuously at sea avoids the visible activation and deployment that can make a nuclear force more escalatory during a crisis.