Special Escort Group (Ministry of Defence Police)
Encyclopedia
The Special Escort Group (Ministry of Defence Police) or SEG (MDP) are a specialised unit of the Ministry of Defence Police
. It is primarily responsible for the movement of all Nuclear Weapons and Defence Special Nuclear Material
within the United Kingdom
.
and RNAD Coulport, and special nuclear material
s by road, rail, and air. Special nuclear materials within the UK are defined as: tritium
, enriched uranium
and depleted uranium
and plutonium
. As well as new and used reactor fuel
from Royal Navy
submarines.
The SEG provides the staff for the close escort and traffic management of nuclear weapons convoy movements. During these convoy movements it works alongside military personnel from Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines
and Atomic Weapons Establishment
civilian staff. Rail escorts include radiological safety
escorts with railway personnel. There is liaison with local police forces whilst the convoy is en route. Nuclear weapon
convoys are regularly monitored by the nuclear disarmament
campaigning network NukeWatch UK and convoys have, on occasion, been disrupted by anti-nuclear weapon protesters.
The SEG may escort other Ministry of Defence
assets, and has escorted U.S.
munitions (such as during Operation Telic
). It also provides specialist support, to other units of the Ministry of Defence Police and elsewhere; such as ceremonial duties during the visit of the Queen
to HMNB Portsmouth
for Trafalgar 200
.
near Reading, Berkshire
. Training there includes emergency procedures and tactical firearms support. Exercise scenarios include counter terrorism exercises, anti-nuclear protest
tactics and convoy armed security.
(NARO), part of the Ministry of Defence
. An Immediate Response Force would be embedded within the convoy, or in the case of air transport be ready to fly by helicopter to the scene. Each is commanded by an MoD Incident Co-ordinator. Within 24 hours a Follow on Force can be deployed if required. The Ministry of Defence Police would co-ordinate a joint response with the United States for accidents involving U.S. nuclear warheads or nuclear materials within the United Kingdom.
Detailed public emergency plans are drawn from the Local Authority & Emergency Services Information (LAESI) plans.
Ministry of Defence Police
The Ministry of Defence Police is a civilian police force which is part of the United Kingdom's Ministry of Defence. The force is part of the larger government agency, the Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency , together with the Ministry of Defence Guard Service...
. It is primarily responsible for the movement of all Nuclear Weapons and Defence Special Nuclear Material
Special nuclear material
Special nuclear material is a term used by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of the United States to classify fissile materials. The NRC divides special nuclear material into three main categories, according to the risk and potential for its direct use in a clandestine nuclear weapon or for its...
within the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Role
The SEG conduct nuclear weapons convoys, by road, between AWE BurghfieldAtomic Weapons Establishment
The Atomic Weapons Establishment is responsible for the design, manufacture and support of warheads for the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent. AWE plc is responsible for the day-to-day operations of AWE...
and RNAD Coulport, and special nuclear material
Special nuclear material
Special nuclear material is a term used by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission of the United States to classify fissile materials. The NRC divides special nuclear material into three main categories, according to the risk and potential for its direct use in a clandestine nuclear weapon or for its...
s by road, rail, and air. Special nuclear materials within the UK are defined as: tritium
Tritium
Tritium is a radioactive isotope of hydrogen. The nucleus of tritium contains one proton and two neutrons, whereas the nucleus of protium contains one proton and no neutrons...
, enriched uranium
Enriched uranium
Enriched uranium is a kind of uranium in which the percent composition of uranium-235 has been increased through the process of isotope separation. Natural uranium is 99.284% 238U isotope, with 235U only constituting about 0.711% of its weight...
and depleted uranium
Depleted uranium
Depleted uranium is uranium with a lower content of the fissile isotope U-235 than natural uranium . Uses of DU take advantage of its very high density of 19.1 g/cm3...
and plutonium
Plutonium
Plutonium is a transuranic radioactive chemical element with the chemical symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, forming a dull coating when oxidized. The element normally exhibits six allotropes and four oxidation...
. As well as new and used reactor fuel
Nuclear fuel
Nuclear fuel is a material that can be 'consumed' by fission or fusion to derive nuclear energy. Nuclear fuels are the most dense sources of energy available...
from Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
submarines.
The SEG provides the staff for the close escort and traffic management of nuclear weapons convoy movements. During these convoy movements it works alongside military personnel from Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines
Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines
The Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines , formerly Comacchio Company Royal Marines and Comacchio Group Royal Marines , is a commando-sized specialist unit of the Royal Marines responsible for guarding the United Kingdom's Naval nuclear weapons and other security-related duties.-History:On 1 May...
and Atomic Weapons Establishment
Atomic Weapons Establishment
The Atomic Weapons Establishment is responsible for the design, manufacture and support of warheads for the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent. AWE plc is responsible for the day-to-day operations of AWE...
civilian staff. Rail escorts include radiological safety
Nuclear safety
Nuclear safety covers the actions taken to prevent nuclear and radiation accidents or to limit their consequences. This covers nuclear power plants as well as all other nuclear facilities, the transportation of nuclear materials, and the use and storage of nuclear materials for medical, power,...
escorts with railway personnel. There is liaison with local police forces whilst the convoy is en route. Nuclear weapon
Nuclear weapon
A nuclear weapon is an explosive device that derives its destructive force from nuclear reactions, either fission or a combination of fission and fusion. Both reactions release vast quantities of energy from relatively small amounts of matter. The first fission bomb test released the same amount...
convoys are regularly monitored by the nuclear disarmament
Nuclear disarmament
Nuclear disarmament refers to both the act of reducing or eliminating nuclear weapons and to the end state of a nuclear-free world, in which nuclear weapons are completely eliminated....
campaigning network NukeWatch UK and convoys have, on occasion, been disrupted by anti-nuclear weapon protesters.
The SEG may escort other Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
assets, and has escorted U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
munitions (such as during Operation Telic
Operation Telic
Operation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
). It also provides specialist support, to other units of the Ministry of Defence Police and elsewhere; such as ceremonial duties during the visit of the Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
to HMNB Portsmouth
HMNB Portsmouth
Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the British Royal Navy...
for Trafalgar 200
Trafalgar 200
Trafalgar 200 was a series of events in 2005 held mostly in the United Kingdom to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, where a British fleet led by Admiral Nelson defeated a joint Franco-Spanish fleet during the Napoleonic Wars. During the summer of 2005 there was an...
.
Location
The SEG is based at AWE AldermastonAtomic Weapons Establishment
The Atomic Weapons Establishment is responsible for the design, manufacture and support of warheads for the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent. AWE plc is responsible for the day-to-day operations of AWE...
near Reading, Berkshire
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
. Training there includes emergency procedures and tactical firearms support. Exercise scenarios include counter terrorism exercises, anti-nuclear protest
Nuclear disarmament
Nuclear disarmament refers to both the act of reducing or eliminating nuclear weapons and to the end state of a nuclear-free world, in which nuclear weapons are completely eliminated....
tactics and convoy armed security.
Nuclear accidents
In the event of a nuclear accident, responsibility for coordinating a response falls to the Nuclear Accident Response OrganisationNuclear Accident Response Organisation
Defence Nuclear Accident Response Organisation . The UK Ministry of Defence maintains a Nuclear Accident Response Organisation to respond to an accident or incident, including one arising through terrorist acts, involving defence nuclear assets.Defence Nuclear Assets include:* Naval Nuclear...
(NARO), part of the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
. An Immediate Response Force would be embedded within the convoy, or in the case of air transport be ready to fly by helicopter to the scene. Each is commanded by an MoD Incident Co-ordinator. Within 24 hours a Follow on Force can be deployed if required. The Ministry of Defence Police would co-ordinate a joint response with the United States for accidents involving U.S. nuclear warheads or nuclear materials within the United Kingdom.
Detailed public emergency plans are drawn from the Local Authority & Emergency Services Information (LAESI) plans.