“But the credibility of US nuclear [deterrence] is not what it was. That has opened the debate, and led the Germans to look more favourably on the idea of coming under a French and/or British umbrella,” he explained.
So how would such a proposal work? France currently has around 300 nuclear warheads on hand, most of which are designed to be carried and unleashed from France-based aircraft or submarines.
The United Kingdom, on the other hand, has around 250, including its famous Trident nuclear weapon system. However, France’s stockpile is entirely domestically produced, while the United Kingdom relies heavily on United States technical support to operate.