The Conservatives' manifesto will have a commitment to build four new nuclear missile-armed submarines, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon has said.
He accused Labour of using the nuclear deterrent as a "bargaining chip" with the SNP, which would vote to scrap it.
But Labour's Douglas Alexander said the claims were "embarrassing".
He told Radio 4's Today his party would do no deal with the SNP "or another other party" on Trident.
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The Conservatives and Labour are both committed to replacing the UK's ageing fleet of Vanguard class submarines which carry Trident nuclear missiles and maintaining the continuous, at-sea deterrent - meaning there is always one nuclear-armed vessel on patrol.
Labour has suggested the possibility of reducing the number of submarines from four to three if a continuous deterrent could be maintained, though Labour's Chris Leslie told the BBC the party's "current view" was that four were needed.
The Liberal Democrats favour cutting to three, saying the existing system was designed for the Cold War era.
Policy guide: Foreign and defence
This election issue includes foreign policy and the role of UK's defence forces at home and abroad.
The Clyde-based submarines that currently carry Trident are due to reach the end of their operational lives within the next decade.
A final decision on replacing the system is due in 2016.
The government in 2013 put the bill at between £15bn and £20bn. However, Greenpeace argued it will run to at least £34bn once extra costs such as VAT are taken into account.
The Lib Dems have said ordering fewer submarines would save up to £4bn in the long-term, though that claim is disputed.
'Backroom deal'
The SNP has said it would work with Labour in order to keep the Conservatives out of government after the 7 May general election, but it opposes renewing Trident and calls the issue a "red line".
Labour has said it will not form a coalition with the SNP, but Tory leader David Cameron has said Labour failed to rule out a post-election "deal".
In an article for the Times, Mr Fallon confirmed the existing Tory policy of four new submarines would feature in the election manifesto.
He also said Ed Miliband was "a man so desperate for power he is ready to barter away our nuclear deterrent in a backroom deal with the SNP".
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon's "brusque demands should alarm people right across our United Kingdom", Mr Fallon said.
"Our nuclear submarines protect all of Britain including Scotland. This SNP policy is a threat to us all that would dangerously weaken our collective defence," he added.
In a personal attack, Mr Fallon also told Today the Labour leadership election - in which Mr Miliband stood against his brother - showed what he would do to get into power.
Mr Fallon said: "You've seen what he's prepared to do to get into power, the danger now, the risk we face in four weeks time, is that we'll see the same kind of shabby manoeuvre, perhaps with Nicola Sturgeon of the SNP, to get into Downing Street on the back of abandoning our nuclear submarines."
Tories 'desperate'
But shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander said his party was "crystal clear" that keeping the country safe was not up for negotiation.
He told Today: "Labour support the renewal of Trident to deliver our commitment to maintaining a minimal, credible, independent nuclear deterrent delivered through a continuous at-sea deterrent.
"This is not up for negotiation with the SNP or with any other party."
Speaking at Wednesday night's Scottish political leaders' debate on BBC One Scotland, Ms Sturgeon said: "It is often asked of me: is Trident a red line? Well here's your answer - you'd better believe it's a red line."
She added: "There is no circumstances under which SNP MPs will vote for the renewal of Trident."
But she did not say the SNP would bring down a minority government if it lost a vote on Trident.
'Worth retaining'
The issue provoked a coalition row in the previous government when the Lib Dems requested a report examining possible alternatives.
Sir Nick Harvey, the Lib Dem defence spokesman, told Radio 4's Today programme the nuclear deterrent was "worth retaining".
But he said it did not need to be "patrolling the seas 24/7 when we have no known nuclear adversary".
Maintaining three submarines would allow the UK to maintain "continuous at-sea deterrence", he said. Two submarines would provide a "perfectly meaningful deterrent", but not on a "continuous basis", he added.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage tweeted: "Tory Hypocrisy: hitting out at Labour over SNP when they went into coalition with Trident-opposed Lib Dems in 2010 #voteUKIP #defence."
All of the parties have faced questions during the election campaign about their plans for defence spending.
Neither Labour nor the Conservatives have committed to matching the Nato target of 2% of GDP beyond 2016. UKIP says it would meet this commitment by cutting foreign aid.
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