Vanguard class SSBN (1992)

The Vanguard class were four 2nd generation nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBN) of the Royal Navy, conceived in the early 1980s with the first keel laid up in 1986 and lead both HMS Vanguard (S28) completed in 1993 at Barrow-in-Furness by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering (BAE Systems now). Where the previous Resolution class were designed around the Polaris, the Vanguard (or V class) were the carriers for the Trident nuclear programme. HMS Vanguard, Victorious, Vigilant and Vengeance were in service between 1993-99 are today the bedrock of UK’s deterrence. They are homeported to HM Naval Base Clyde (HMS Neptune), 40 km (25 mi) west of Glasgow, Scotland, not far from Holy Loch, the primary western SSBN cold war USN forward homeport (now Lossiemouth, Moray).
Since the decommission of the RAF’s WE.177 free-fall thermonuclear vector in March 1998, the Vanguard class are the only remaining nuclear weapon carriers. Each carries up to 16 UGM-133 Trident II missiles and they are planned for replacement by the 3rd gen. 2030s Dreadnought-class, evaluated at 20,000 tons submerged (versus 17,500 tons for the Vanguards).

Design of the Vanguard class

The British Trident Program

In the 1960s, the British deterrence most potent asset were the four Resolution-class submarines armed with sixteen US-built UGM-27 Polaris missiles. They had been derived from the Valiant class SSNs and the adoption of the Polaris, which was negociated starting with Kennedy and MacMillan, was not smooth sailing. The Polaris was delivered following this historical 1963 Sales Agreement and became its own thing, the UK Polaris programme. In 1979 already the Resolution class rapidly reached replacement schedule, both the sub and its missile were now seen obsolete, and planned to reach the end of their service lives within a decade so gat both a new ballistic missile and new submarine carrier were needed FY1992 at the earnest. On 24 January 1980, the House of Commons backed this government policy a large majority of 308 votes to 52, but also for an independent nuclear deterrent. Thus new options were examined:

A 100% British Ballistic Missile
A British designed and built ballistic missile considered in the realm of possible, since already the Polaris had been home upgraded massively. Cost however was the issue. Development time was also a problem, linked to the first, as there were doubt if it would be available for 1992 at all. It was thus later deemed “unattractive” and rejected.

Polaris Mark 2 on a new SSBN
Option two, retain the Polaris, but massively upgraded and on a new submarine class. It was decided that in that occurence the carrier was less important (aside extra stealhiness) than the capability and reliability of the Polaris whoch reached its developmental possibilities. The solution looked massively unattractive beyond the 1990s, as the US discontinue already the Polaris for a while it was considered costly to maintain a small stockpile of these in British service alone.

UGM-73 Poseidon
Third, the “European solution”: Adoptiong the US UGM-73 Poseidon offered to NATO countries (like Italy) were considered but rejected on capability issues as well as cost and uncertainty. The Poseidon was indeed not much better than the Polaris in terms of range.

The Trident Program
The UGM-96 Trident I was rapidly seen as the most cost-effective solution. Being the latest US balistic missile, and sure to be upgraded for the ucoming decade at least, it already had been developed. The remaining would be the new SSBN and that cost seemed more realistic, provided a new agreement could be secured with the US. Within the context of the present administration, it looks possible but not certain. It had the neceassary range and long-term capability insurances that were required.

On 10 July 1980, PM Margaret Thatcher wrote to US President Jimmy Carter and requesting the purchase of Trident I missiles, based on the past 1963 Polaris Sales Agreement. However in between the US was setting up production its new US UGM-133 Trident II so Thatcher wrote newt to Ronald Reagan in 1982 for the latter to be procured instead. An agreement was secured in March 1982 with Britain contibuting to 5% R&D over this program, which seemed quite acceptable.

A twice as large SSBN design

The Vanguard class initial setup with rough estimates emerged just as discussions went on with Carter and Reagan, and in 1982 the Ministry of Defence acted on his Royal Navy warship design authority role and discussed with the admiralty for guidance drawings to be supplied for detailed design development. The company procuring detailed designs and blueprints for approval was of course Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering (VSEL) at Barrow-in-Furness (BAE Systems Maritime now), which already built the Resolution class. Labour-wise this was also a breath of fresh air, although the Yard was busy already with the Trafalgar class.

Unlike the previous SSBNs, based on the Valiant class in emergency, the new V class would be designed from the outset as nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. From a blank slate. They were also designed around tubes for the UGM-133 Trident II missiles. The missile compartment was thus closely based on the one used on the USN Ohio class, which also shortened development, part of the agreement with the US. This meant the Vanguard-class design ended as significantly larger reaching nearly 16,000 tonnes, versus 8,400 tonnes on the Resolution class (almost twice as much), and the largest submarines ever built in the UK. They were compared by some analysts as the british version of the Ohio class, and this has credence in terms of size, and the missile bay but that was it.
They would share practically nothing with the Resolution class nor the Ohio class. The hull diameter was imposed by the missile bay and for these they still had a “hump” above it unlike the Ohio class, but they were also very well streamlined. Their general shape was very unique and relatively more complicated than the mostly cylindrical Ohios.

Construction and Facilities Challenges

Due to their exceptionally large size the Devonshire Dock Hall in Barrow-in-Furness was built between 1982 and 1986 for their construction, but they were built from prefabicated sections all in the same hall, no having to wait for each was to be launched to free space for the keel laying of the next. The “keel laying” also was mostly a ceremonial affair around the first module.

From 1985, other facilities had to be adapted for their service such as HM Naval Base Clyde and the Royal Naval Armaments Depot of Coulport at Faslane. Peparation for the Vanguard class and Trident II missiles indeed imposed considerable readjustment, many being made with US advisors. Rosyth dockyard was as well impacted ahd had tro be expanded and revised. This concerned the enhancement of handling and storage as well as armament processing and berthing, docking and engineering in general, bu also new training and refitting facilities with an overall cost of £550 million. Good news for taxpayers, the next 3nd generation SSBNs would have a still relatively close tonnage and missile to not force another round of simialr modifications across the board.

Prime Minister Thatcher was present at the “keel laying” ceremony of HMS Vanguard on 3 September 1986 at the Devonshire Dock Hall. She was assembled, launched in 1992 and commissioned in 1993, so six years to launch, one year to completion, which seems long but is logical given the prefabricated modules assembly mode and teething production issues that only concerned the lead boat. In 1992 there was a debate over the fourth boat “Vengeance” and its possible cancellation, which would leave still one in transit, one on patrol and one in refit instead of two on patrol at the same time. The MIRVed Trident II indeed were already preceived by some by a large enough threat, especially after the end of the cold war and fall of USSR. However, the Ministry of Defence ordered it anyway by July that year. She would be commissioned in 1999.

There was no naming debate, since the tradition of the “R class” (the Resolution class) went for capital ships names, just as SSNs, and so this new 1960 tradition started by HMS Dreanought, reflected the growing cost and importance of these new assets for the United Kingdom. The tradition was kept, and in fact the next Dreadnought class will resurrect the famous name one more time. It should be noted that these battleships names had been sported by ships of the line back to Nelson’s time and France also name 1970 and current its SSBNs after former ships of the line of that era. The Vanguard’s class crests is also a tradition dating back to famous ships of the line, some featured as figureheads.
But tradition or not, the Vengance class was a considerable technological and quantitative leap forward, and the largest British naval expanse program, even before the Invincible class carriers.

Hull and general design

The Vanguard class were quite enormous submarines and shared nothing with the latest contemporary SSNs, the Trafalgar class. Their hull was completely tailored for their role, designed around the missile bay and powerplant. Its shape was revolutionary as well. Like the Trafalgar the hull is fuller, with max diameter until 1/6 of the propeller (which is of course shrouded) and is constant until 2/4 short of the tip of the nose, with a nose going thinner and ending with proper cone unlike SSNs and their peculiar “whale-nose”, angular tipped.

The shape was much refined forward of the sail, which is tall and prismatic in section, placed 1/4 lenght forward. The missile “hump” does no start right aft of the sail but blends with the cylindrical hull well forward. Its end is also well blended with the hull below, wit the main water scoop underneath, on the transition between the pressure and outer hull. The only exception to this streamlined design are the shouldered diving planes located well forward of the sail.
Another major innovation is the location of the four torpedo tubes on slighlty angled side tubes, leaving the whole nose cone free for the largest hull sonar possible. The whole sensors and active defence suite was of course completely renewed, and featured extensive defensive measures, while decetion capabilities remained on top, albeit less extensive than modern SSNs.
It should be noted that this tendency to built blended missile bays seems a new trend, it was in fact followed by France with the Triomphant class SSBN which own missile bay completely blends in, just like on the Ohio class.

Cutaway of the class (pinterest). See also

Internally, the hull is divided into five decks, which says a lot about the space available. The upper deck which is also the main command center, below the sail, is enabled by the forward blending of the missile bay “hump”. There is a second command section further forward and below on level. There are three full decks below, including the engine control bay on the 4rd deck aft, immediately close to the maion, bulkhead separating the living space from the missile bay. The 2nd, 3rd, and 4th decks are otherwide living quarters for the crew, in an overall space which is just 1/10 of the total submarine’s internal volume, for an average crew of 135, compared to 143 for the Resolution class. This is thanks to heavy automation, and also enables better living conditions overall, which are necessary given the long, 3-months patrols submerged all the way (with rotating crews). The SWS generators and backup diesels are located on the 1st deck below, with batteries and other systems (water recycling plant, etc) located on the 1st “deck” which in reality is constrained by the hull bottom and a half-deck. So the Vanguards are more 4.5 deck tall, still quite an improvement over the 2.5-decks Resolution class.

The missile tubes and not submerged and completely cut out from the crew, apart the upper section used as ballast. They are accessible via three decks and doors running alongside up to the reactor compartment aft. The latter is located aft of the tubes and inside the tail part of the “hump”, so with some room to spare vertically. It has a double cell of protection, and is using of course an indirect loop to warm up water then turned into steam and fed into the tubines aft.

Powerplant

To a new SSBN came a brand new pressurised water reactor: This is the Rolls-Royce PWR 2, designed specially for the Vanguard class. The PWR 2 was designe to have twice the service life as the PWR-1, and said to allow a Vanguard class to make 40 circumnavigations without refuelling. The recent long-overhaul refit periods saw the new ‘Core H’ reactor fitted to avoid any re-fuelling immobilization until the end of the Vanguard class service lives. This new reactor drives two GEC steam turbines connected to a single shaft pump jet propulsor. Top speed is fo course classified, in the range of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph). For safety there is an auxiliary power, with two WH Allen 6 MW steam-turbine generators (Later the company became NEI Allen) working with Rolls-Royce. Last but not least this is complete by two 905 kWb Paxman diesel generators as backup power supply in case of nuclear reactor complete shutdown and diesel generation shutdown. Three layers of redundancy.
So to resume:
1 × Rolls-Royce PWR2 nuclear reactor,
2 × GEC turbines; 27,500 shp (20.5 MW)
1 × shaft, pump jet propulsor
2 × auxiliary retractable propulsion motors
2 × Allen turbo generators (6 MW)
2 × Paxman diesel alternators; 2,700 shp (2.0 MW)

The shrouded propeller exact shape is currently classified, and it is hidden as the shroud openings fore and aft were covered when in construction, or in refit. It is estimated closer to the reactor fan than a classic 7-bladed propeller with as much as 12 slanted but straight blades which shape had been created to be as close as possible to the shroud cover. Note that the density differences of water and of air does not impose as much blades and as much speed as in an aircraft jet reactor. The tail however is classic, still “+” shaped, with the upper rudder being much taller for extra stability.

Another aspect which is completely classified, since the V class are currently active until the 2030s, is the soundproofing. It goes in several directions. There is an outer hull rubber cladding with echo-absorbing tiles which can be easily replaced, same tech used on the Trafalgar class. The hull shape has been completely revised to provide an even easier water flow, bubble free, and water scoops could be opened and shut in a way that also almost cannot produced bubbles or break them. The shrouded propeller is another way to reduce noise signature, and the design of both were worked out considerably to be efficient at all regimes up to 25 knots. If engine power is likely to allow speeds in excess of 30 knots, it however breaks the optimal setup for sound reduction. The last aspect is the most important, full soundproofing and perfect isolation of all machinery components.
This goes with the British world’s leading, decades long expertise in powerplant “rafting”, not a science going back to the 1960s. Details of it are unknown but we can expect the same level of rubber and springs isolation measures, perhaps even a active counter vibration system with emissions designed to equal and “eat up” frequencies. It is generally estimated the Vanguard are on par at least with the Trafalgar SSN and Upholder SSK as well as equal or superior to the older Ohio class, which adopted many soundproofing tech from earlier SSNs. Discretion is the main asset of an SSBN, always.

Armament

The Vanguard’s Weapony and associated systems

Test launch of a Trident II missile by a Vanguard-class submarine
The Vanguard-class submarine’s raison d’etre are their 16 ballistic missile tubes. This is however a maximal capacity. Budget wise, post-cold war reductions ended with the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review which precognised to only load eight missile, given the fact each already have eight nuclear warheads, making for a total of 64 MIRVs (full warttime complement would be 128). These SSBNs retained four 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes forward, firing notably the Spearfish heavyweight torpedo giving them a range of 65 kilometres (40 mi, 35 nmi), beyond sonar range of many submarines in service today.

The British Trident II

These were procured in the US but adapted at the UK’s Atomic Weapons Establishment. Given the number of MIRVs possible, each boat could at the maximum carry 192 independently targetable warheads (MIRVs), all could be launched in a single salvo. Meaning using at its best the Trident II twelve MIRV capacity. All these also had a setup yeld.
The British Trident II has the same charactristics as the US version:

Lockheed UGM-133A Trident II D5

Mass: 130,000 lb (59,000 kg)
Dimensions: 44 ft 6.6 in (13.579 m) x 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) (1st stage)
Warhead: 1–8 Mk-5 RV/W88 (475 kt) or 12 Mk-4 RV/W76-0 (100 kt) or 12 Mk-4A RV/W-76-1 (90 kt) or Mk-7 RV/W93.
Propulsion: 3 solid-fuel rocket motors Thiokol/Hercules/Unitech Corp, propellant NEPE-75
Range: 7,500 mi+ (12,000 km), classified.
Top speed: 18,030 mph (29,020 km/h) or Mach 4 in terminal phase
Guidance: MK 6 astro-inertial guidance, +single movable nozzle
CEP (Accuracy): 100 m

The 1998 Strategic Defence Review reduces this to just to 48 warheads with a reduced readiness to fire. Today, the number of MIRVs in active storage in UK is about 200, with 58 Trident II missiles. This just enough to equip each Vanguard class with 14 missiles, not 16 (avtually 8), and with a reduced load of 8 rather than 12 MIRVs on these.
The 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review reduced this further down to a total of 40 warheads, 8 MIRVs per missile. Today the stockpile is decribed “fewer than 160, no more than 120” with a total possible maintained stockpile of 180. On 16 March 2021 PM Boris Johnson unveiled a 10-year plan called “Global Britain” which had a document plegding to raise nuclear warheads aboard British SSBNs from from 180 to 260 and confirming four subs maintained operational (so no early decommission). This of course, is linked to the delays encountered by the new Dreadnought class SSBN program. HMS vanguard originally was scheduled to be retired in 2018… (see later)

Torpedo Armament

Same torpedo armament as the Trafalgar class.

Mark 24 Tigerfish (1970):

Despite many issues, the 1950 program initially setup to deliver an operational model in 1969 was too ambitious and technically complex to meet its original target. This 55-knot (102 km/h; 63 mph), deep-diving torpedo was driven by an internal combustion engine using high pressure oxygen as oxidant. It was guided by a wire system developed from the Mackle project in 1952. It used data transmitted from the firing submarine sonars during its wired run, until detached and completed its race to the target after acquisition using an autonomous active/passive sonar developed from the abandoned 1950s UK PENTANE torpedo project. This was also known as Project ONGAR and engineers were so confident in its superiority it was described as “…the end of the line for torpedo development”. The Mk 24 Tigerfish entered service in 1970, followed in the 1990s by the Spearfish.
⚙ Specifications Mark 24 Tigerfish
Weight: 1,550 kg (3,417 lb)
Dimensions: 6.5 m (21 ft) x 533 mm (21 in)
Power unit: Electrical, chloride silver-zinc oxide batteries 35-knot
Maximum range: 39 km (43,000 yd) at low speed, 13 km (14,000 yd) at 35 kts
Warhead: 134 to 340 kg (295 to 750 lb) Torpex
Guidance: Wire-guided to point, passive sonar target acquisition/terminal homing.
Next torpedo to cover: The Spearfish (Swiftsure class).

I have no clues as if the Vanguard class were upgraded to fire the next NST 7525 Spearfish (1992), but it’s likely. See the trafalgar article for more.
Sub-Harpoon and Tomahawk are not however supposed to be part of the park.
The torpedo bay on the 2nd deck comprises as much as

Sensors

Thales Underwater Systems Type 2054 composite sonar: The Type 2054 is multi-mode and multi-frequency system, incorporating the 2046, 2043 and 2082 sonars. It is hull-mounted and works in active/passive search modes, the passive one beiong the “standard”.
Type 2082: Passive intercept and ranging sonar
Type 2046: Tail mounted towed array sonar operating at very low frequency for longer range passive search.
Type 1007 Nav Radar: I-band navigation radar.
Two periscopes: CK51 search model, CH91 attack model with TV and thermal imaging cameras.
Specialised Submarine Command System (SMCS): Originally developed for the Vanguards and adopted on the Trafalgar class.

Active Protection

SSE Mark 10 launchers are fitted, allowing to deploy Type 2066 and Type 2071 decoys.
There is also an UAP Mark 3 electronic support measures (ESM) intercept system.

CC profile By Mike1979russia, rendered in 3D.

⚙ Vanguard specs.
Displacement	15,900 t (15,600 long tons; 17,500 short tons) sub.
Dimensions	149.9 x 12.8 x 12m (491 ft 10 in x 42 ft x 39 ft 4 in)
Propulsion	Rolls-Royce PWR2 reactor, 2× GEC turbines 27,500 shp (20.5 MW), see notes
Speed	25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)+ submerged
Range	Unlimited, food around 90 days
Armament	4× 21-in TTs, Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes, 16× Lockheed Trident II D5 SLBMs
Sensors	BAE Systems SMCS, Type 1007, Type 2054, Type 2046, Type 2043, Type 2082, CK51, CH91
Crew	135

Upgrades

The fleet is in the process of having all sonars refitted with open-architecture processing gaivin ght advantage of obtaining commercial off-the-shelf technology to reduce costs and making upgrades easier and quicker. The Vanguards are also about to be fitted with the new “Common Combat System”.
In 2005 Vanguard and in 2008 Victorious, in 2012 Vigilant and in 2015, Vengeance saw replacement of the sensors suite with the type 2046, type 2081, type 2082 sonars, as well as the SMCS NG, DCM 4 CCS.
Type 2046 sonar: Long-range, wide-band, towed-array sonar, 165 feet (50 meters) long. Passive system researched by ARE Portland and Ferranti International (later Thomson Marconi Sonar, now Thales).

Type 2081 sonar: Submarine oceanographic sensor suite, for situational awareness inc. under ice navigation.
Type 2082 sonar: Provides passive intercept and ranging capability.
SMCS NG: BAE’s Submarine Command System Next Generation for a real time pic of the external world (full data fusion)
DCM 4 CCS: Next gen. Combat Control System. No data yet.

Career of the Vanguard class

The 11th HMS Vanguard and lead boat of the class was laid down at VSEL, Barrow on 3.9.1986, launched on 4.3.1992 and completed on 14.8.1993, commissioned in the presence of Diana, Princess of Wales. She is based at Faslane, HMNB Clyde, Argyll, Scotland. First commanding officer was Captain David Russell and senior engineer officer Commander James Grant OBE. No patrol logs for 1994-2002.
In February 2002, Vanguard started a two-year refit at HMNB Devonport, completed in June 2004. In October 2005 she was back into service trials with qualifications and shakedown Operations, firing an unarmed Trident missile. During refit she was boarded by anti-nuclear protesters which linked them to the boat until challenged after 30 mun. charged with damaging a fence which they cut to access the submarine.
Next: Collision with soviet/russian subs are still a thing, but more rarely with allied subs. That’s what happened notably when perfect silence is achieved and on thisn the two protagonists were matched.

On 4 February 2009, HMS Vanguard collided with the French SSBN FS Le Triomphant in the Atlantic.

HMS Vanguard was on a routine patrol in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean and carried allegedly 16 Trident II D5 missiles with 48 warheads. Le Triomphant was returning from a tour of duty when this happened. She carried 16 M45 ballistic missiles, also with 48 warheads. On the night between 3–4 February 2009, both collided while surbmerged and on 6 February 2009, the French MoD reported Le Triomphant “collided with an immersed object”, likely to be a container. There was not comment from the UK MoD but on 16 February 2009, the incident was confirmed and First Sea Lord Sir Jonathon Band precised it happened at low speed, with no injuries. The same was stated by the French MoD.

However Both were damaged. Vanguard had her outer casing mushed close to the missile compartment starboard, the point of impact of Le Triomphant which reported damage to her active sonar dome, under the bow. Thus she arrived above and amidship of vanguard. The Daily Telegraph precised a repair cost of £50 million (£85M in 2023) for both. Vanguard was back to the Clyde Base (Firth of Clyde) on 14 February 2009, Le Triomphant at Île Longue in Best, Brittany.

What this shows is that despite the immensity of the Atlantic, at some point both cruise patterns inetrsected. It should be reminded that, albeit as remote as are these events, since unlike such collision with Soviet/Russian subs in the past, none was trailing the other. Given their mutual complete absence of detection of each other, and absence of an anomaly sensors to indicate a proximity mass outside of the oceanographic data, it was hard to avoid. By the way neither the RN nor the Marine Nationale are suppose to exchange their go-to launching sites or patrol areas, which are known by their commanders alone for safety.
Also at the time, Pdt. Sarkozy decided to reintegrate the full NATO command structure. This is important because until then, NATO operates a traffic-control system alerting allied nations to the deployment zones of friendly submarines. But because France was not part of NATO’s military command structure at the time, it did not provided information on its location. Since then and France’s full NATO integration, it’s unlikely this event will ever repeat unless a remote chain of freak accidents.

In January 2012 radiation was detected in Vanguard’s test reactor’s coolant water. Later in inspection, a microscopic breach in fuel cladding was detected. Thus she was rescheduled to be refuelled in her planned “deep maintenance period” 3.5 years from 2015. Other contingency measures were applied to check these parts on other Vanguard and Astute-class submarines. Total inspection and repair cost was estimated £270 million. This revealed to the public in 2014.
Vanguard was back into service two years ago by July 2022 after almost… 7 years in refit. On 16 August 2022 she was officially recommissioned in the Royal Navy and a ceremony was held at HMNB Devonport. On 9 May 2023 she left for her first patrol.

In February 2023, there was an investigation about broken bolts detected in the reactor chamber, which had possibly had been insufficiently repaired by using some glue, during her long refit. The heads of several bolts sheared off after being over-tightened and it was established that workers of Babcock allegedly glued the heads back on, rather than replacing them so save time and money. The bolts held the collant pipes insulation in place and could have led to an unusual warming of the reactor, possibly completely stopped while in service, but it happend just at the activation of the reactor.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace imposed a meeting for “assurances about future work” from Babcock, today one of britain’s largest defence contractors. Renegociaitons of contracts for the Vanguard and Astute-class were put on the table. As of today, her status is unknown, likely on patrol.

HMS Victorious is the second Vanguard-class submarine of the Royal Navy, also built at Barrow-in-Furness by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd (now BAE Systems Submarine Solutions). She was launched in September 1993 and commissioned in January 1995.
No logs for 1995-2024.
In November 2000, while surfaced she grounded on Skelmorlie Bank, upper Firth of Clyde, Scotland. She was the second of her class undergoing refit, fitted with a Core H reactor supposed to hold until the end of her career. In 2008, she had post-refit sea trials and had her first new patrol from 2009.
In 2013, Victorious completed her 100th deterrent patrol, a record for the class. In 2022, she was forced to surface in the North Atlantic after a fire broke out, in an electrical module. It seems afterwards her scheduled was cancelled and she was re-routed to the US for exercises. She was back to Faslane afterwards.
No logs since.

HMS Vigilant is the third in class, also from Barrow-in-Furness, launched in October 1995, and commissioned in November 1996.
Logs are classified.
On 2007, Peter Hennessy visited her for the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, reporting a “grey safe” in the control room with an inner safe only accessible via keys by the commanding officer and executive officer with a letter from the PM of “last resort” containing guidance and orders in case of a nuclear attack, for a second strike.
In 2002, protestors from Trident Ploughshares managed to pass the security at Faslane and two protestors sprayed paint Vigilant with the CND symbol and “Vile”.
Vigilant entered Devonport on 11 October 2008 for her major career’s refit, until 27 March 2012 (£300m, 5 years refit). In 2013, she fired a trident. She completed a patrol on 23 December 2016.
In October 2017, the press leaked her captain had been relieved of command after allegations of “inappropriate relationship” with a female crew member. His executive officer was also removed from his post after allegations of “improper relationship” with a different female crew member and that nine crew members were dismissed for using cocaine.
Nothing more interesting to write about these, as logs as confidential and dates of coming and going into patrol and crew’s swaps are rather tedious.

HMS Vengeance was the fourth and final Vanguard-class to be built at VSEL or Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd, launched in September 1998, commissioned in November 1999, symbolically barely a month shy of the new millenia. Her construction had been in doubt many years prior and she was nearly cancelled. It was announced that when fully operational, she would carry 200 warheads. On 31 March 2011, while on training her propulsor was blocked and she lost speed. She returned to Faslane surfaced for examination, the MoD asserting it was not nuclear related. The real reason was not given.
In 2012, HMS Vengeance like her sister started a 40-month refit at HMNB Devonport, Plymouth. This ibncluded a new reactor core for until 2030+ as well new machinery and electronics across the board. Vigilant replaced her in patrol. She left Devonport on 4 December 2015, replaced by Vanguard, last to be refitted. She had trials from January 2016 to June 2016, fired an unarmed Trident D5 in her Demonstration and Shakedown Operation (DASO), a success, and was qualified albeit the the missile itself failed during flight, the test being terminated as she was blasted at a distance.
In March 2024, she made the second longer submarine deployment in the RN history at 201-days.

Replacement: The Dreadnought Class SSBN

CGI rendition of the “beast”. This will be the largest submarine ever built in Western Europe, and in the world league with the Typhoon, Oscar and Borei class (24,000t submerged).
The Vanguard class was originally designed to have a service life until 25 years, with retirement dates being 2018, 2020, 2021 and 2024. However due to the post cold war context of acute budget cuts, the replacement SSBN was massively delayed. On 4 December 2006, PM Tony Blair planned £20 billion in R&D for the 3rd generation of ballistic missile submarines in replacement, but it was also decided to reduce costs by having on three built and 20% less nuclear warheads. This walso to comply with a latest Non-Proliferation Treaty. On 23 September 2009 PM Gordon Brown confirmed this reduction was “under consideration” but not yet firmly acted. In February 2011, Defence Secretary Liam Fox however declared that four submarines were necessary for a credible nuclear deterrent. On 18 May 2011 an initial assessment phase for the new SSBNs was approved. Preparations started in order to allow the main build in the future. The new class at the time was known as the SSBN 3G but later it was decided to name it the Dreadnought class, retain the Trident II as a transitional cost-saving measure, but to incorporate the new PWR3 nuclear reactor and as many tech developed for the Astute-class SSN as possible.

The Trident renewal programme was voted for at the House of Commons on 18 July 2016, with also confirmed an order intention for four Dreadnought class SSBNs. The motion passed with a significant majority and the MoD started to establish costs, between construction, testing and commission at £31 billion assorted by a margin safety of £10 billion, all over 35 years, 0.2% of government spending, but 6% of the global British budget yearly. The completion of the first is expected for 2028 at the earliest but had been regularlyy pushed down to the ealry 2030s. This made a likely continuation of the Trident programme until the 2060s but also signified the need for the current Vanguards to stay active until the 2030s as well until the 2020s as first planned.

Now technically, the Dreadnought class will be larger than the Vanguards, partly due to a possible replacement of the Trident by a new (likely US designed) SLBM for the horizon 2040. As of today, the bulk of the US SSBN fleet is composed of Ohio class subs, with planned replacement for the 21,000 tonnes Columbia class SSBN-X program). They are designed around the Trident D5. The Dreadnought class are much smaller yet larger than the Vanguard at 17,200 tonnes of displacement and longer at 153.6 metres (504 ft), Beamier at 12.8 m (42 ft) for the latest estimations. Number of torpedo tubes remains the same (with the Spearfish), but they are down to 12 ballistic missile tubes instead of 16. First steel was cut for the lead ship at VSEL on 6 October 2016 and on Sept 2019 for her first sister HMS Valiant, and 9 Feb. 2023 for HMS warspite, the 3rd in class. No date had been given (likely late 2025) for the fourth in class, HMS King Georges VI.

Gallery

Read More/Src

Books

Conway’s all the world’s fighting ships 1947-95, page 533.

Links

web.archive.org/ nuclearinfo.org
https://nuke.fas.org/guide/uk/slbm/vanguard.htm
https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/vanguard-submarine/
https://www.navypedia.org/ships/uk/brit_ss_vanguard.htm
http://www.hisutton.com/Royal-Navy-Vanguard-Class-SSGAN-Concept.html

First Submarine To Use New Stealth Technology

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanguard-class_submarine
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Vanguard_class_submarines

---

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/07/uk_on_board_hms_trident_/html/1.stm
https://www.itv.com/news/2016-07-18/everything-you-need-to-know-about-trident-britains-nuclear-deterrent
https://www.reuters.com/article/britain-defence-idUSL8N1C709W/
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/vanguard-class-stealth-missile-submarine-has-1-mission-212554
https://web.archive.org/web/20100913055759/http://www.reagan.utexas.edu/archives/speeches/1982/31182b.htm

HMS Vanguard leaves Devonport after 7 years of maintenance

https://web.archive.org/web/20160315161033/https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/the-equipment/submarines/ballistic-submarines/vanguard-ballistic
https://web.archive.org/web/20130818125318/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/News-and-Events/Latest-News/2013/June/05/130605-Vigilant-crew-honoured-for-work-leading-to-successful-missile-test-firing
https://web.archive.org/web/20161224030223/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2016/december/23/161223-vigilant-home
https://web.archive.org/web/20180223200835/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/10/06/second-officer-removed-alleged-improper-relationship-female/
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/organisation/units-and-squadrons/ballistic-submarines/hms-vigilant
https://web.archive.org/web/20180904235731/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-12951401
https://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Uk/UKArsenalRecent.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20181220034836/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0084yfg
https://web.archive.org/web/20150720160205/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-17506413
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-17506413
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/no-10-covered-up-trident-missile-fiasco-hch3shsrn?region=global
https://web.archive.org/web/20190108010856/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/no-10-covered-up-trident-missile-fiasco-hch3shsrn
https://www.forcesnews.com/services/navy/hms-vengeance-vanguard-class-submarines-secret-monster-deployment-beneath-waves
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/organisation/units-and-squadrons/ballistic-submarines/hms-vengeance
https://web.archive.org/web/20180226194302/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-41786237
https://web.archive.org/web/20171231094629/http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-41474888
https://web.archive.org/web/20120329225430/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-17520761
https://web.archive.org/web/20090307152820/http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/HMS-Vigilant-SSBN-in-for-GBP-300M-Refit-05313/

Videos

Model Kits

3D