Vanguard Class Ballistic Missile Submarines (SSBNs)

"The Cold War has ended but we still live in an uncertain and unstable world. Now, more than ever, it is vital to retain Trident"

- Malcolm Rifkind, Secretary of State for Defence.

HMS Resolution conducted the first Polaris patrol in 1968 and from then she and her sisterships- Repulse, Renown and Revenge- maintained a continuous deterrent. Despite a warhead update in the early 1980s, a replacement was needed for the 1990s and beyond.

The Conservative Government announced its intention to replace the Polaris missile system with Trident I, a Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM) system, in 1980. The order was later changed to the improved Trident II (D5) missile and VSEL (Vickers Shipbuilding & Engineering Ltd) were awarded the contract to develop the design in 1982. While the submarines that carried Polaris, the Resolution Class, had been an adapted version of the earlier Valiant Class attack submarines, the new submarines were designed specifically to carry Trident. They were based largely on the American Trident Submarines, the Ohio Class, with the only major difference being they would have 16 missile tubes while the Ohio Class had 24. A 30 metre long scale model of a Trident submarine was built from plastic to help designers find the most suitable internal layout. Twice as heavy and twenty metres longer, the new Trident submarines would hold many advantages over the aging Resolution Class: with a fourth deck there was more space, while increased automation meant 17 fewer personnel. The Trident Submarines would also have improved sonar and carry the Spearfish torpedo.

The lead ship, Vanguard, was ordered on April 4th 1986 from Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Limited (VSEL) and was laid down at Barrow-in-Furness later that year. An order was placed for the second submarine, Victorious, on October 6th 1987 and there was a gap of two years before the third boat, Vigilance, was ordered on December 13th 1990. The fourth and final boat was ordered on July 7th 1992 and despite suggestions of Venerable or Valiant she was named Vengeance. The four boats were built inside the specially constructed Devonshire Dockhall. Once completed they were rolled out and lowered into the water. As they could not be launched in a ‘traditional’ fashion special naming ceremonies took place. Vanguard conducted first of class sea trials between October 1992 and 1995, undertaking the first test firing in 1994 and embarking on her first operational patrol later that year. The Resolution Class were retired from service as the Vanguard Class became operation, with the Repulse decommissioning in 1996 and bringing the age of Polaris to an end.

Not surprisingly the development of Trident received much interest from Russian intelligence. In what was dubbed "the Hunt for Red December" Russian submarines trying to monitor Vanguard's sea trials in December 1993 were chased across the Norwegian Sea by British frigates and submarines. Upon embarking on her first operational patrol Vanguard was the subject of further Russian interest and it is rumored that at least two Trafalgar Class submarines, one of which was HMS Torbay, escorted her as she left the Clyde approaches and headed into the open ocean..

In 1993 it was announced that Devonport had won the contract to refit the four Trident submarines, starting with Vanguard in 1999. The choice of Devonport over Scottish rival Rosyth was a highly controversial decision, not least because the work had been promised to Rosyth several years earlier and it was also clear that the loosing yard would face a rundown at best, complete closure at worst. As compensation, Rosyth was allocated a programme of surface fleet refits, including the carrier Ark Royal. Nevertheless the Trident contract, which included refueling the submarines, was worth £5 billion and would guarantee work for the next thirty years. Since the announcement, a large amount of money has been spent constructing the facilities needed for the refit, including the conversion of a 90 year old battleship drydock into a modern earthquake proof refit complex. However, reports indicate that Vanguard will not be able to commence refit until 2004, prompting suggestions that she may be placed in reserve until Devonport are ready. All four Trident submarines are based at HM Naval Base Clyde (Faslane) and are members of the 1st Submarine Squadron. Faslane has received an investment of £5 billion in order to support the Trident submarines, including the building of a finger jetty and a covered shiplift facility, which can raise a submarine out of the water.

With a displacement of 16,000 tonnes, a length of 149.5 metres, a breadth of 12.8 metres and a 12 metre draught, Vanguard and her sisterships are considerably larger than the Trafalgar and Swiftsure Class of attack submarine. They are powered by a Rolls Royce PWR2 (Pressurised Water Reactor), producing a speed of 25 knots when submerged. Like the Resolution Class, at any single time there is at least one Vanguard Class submarine on patrol. Its location and course are a closely guarded secret, known only by the most senior officers onboard and ashore. Once they leave Faslane, they submerge and do not resurface until they return. When on patrol they can receive mail from family and friends once a weak, but cannot reply, incase it revealed the submarine's position. The Vanguard Class can carry sixteen Trident II (D5) Missiles, which have a range of 4,000 nautical miles (around 11,000km). Each missile is 13 metres long, weighs 60 tonnes and can carry up to twelve warheads, each of which can be programmed to attack different targets. When launched, the missile's first stage motor fires and it clears the surface reaching 2,750 mph in under 30 seconds. After around a minute, the first stage rocket falls away and the second stage ignites. When 55 miles above the earth the third stage ignites and the missile is propelled out of the atmosphere. The warheads are then fired from about 600 miles above the earth, less than two minutes after launch.

Despite the Royal Navy’s claim that neither a Trident nor a Polaris submarine has ever been detected at sea, the Vanguard Class have four 21 inch torpedo tubes and carry Spearfish and Tigerfish torpedoes for use against surface or submarine targets. These defensive weapons would be of great importance when the submarine is at its most vulnerable: during firing procedure when it rises from the depths to just below the surface, and after firing, when it may have revealed its position to the enemy. Since the retirement of the last WE177 free fall nuclear bomb from RAF service, Trident is Britain’s only nuclear weapon system and the Vanguard Class submarines have taken on an additional sub-strategic role, which could require them to launch a tactical or limited nuclear strike.

Vanguard Class submarines put to sea with a complement of 130 men (women are not allowed to serve onboard Royal Navy submarines). Like the Resolution Class they operate a system whereby each submarine had two crews- ‘Port’ and ‘Starboard’. When one is at sea the other is training or on leave. While being manpower intensive this is the most effective way of making maximum use of the submarine. The Navy had briefly experimented with the concept of manning the first two submarines with a single, but larger "Gold Crew" of 202, but this was not successful and had been abandoned by the time all four boats had entered service. The gigantic size of these ships allows for a higher standard of living onboard, eradicating the need for ‘hot bunking’.

When the Labour government swept to power in 1997 the new Secretary of State for Defence, George Robertson, launched a wide ranging review of Britain’s armed forces. When published in 1998, the Strategic Defence Review remained committed to maintaining "a posture of continuos deterrent patrols with a total force of four Trident ballistic missile submarines". However, the number of warheads carried by each submarine was reduced from 96 to 48 (the number originally carried by Polaris submarines) and the total number of warheads held in stock was reduced to "fewer than 200". It was also announced that a submarine on patrol would be at a lesser state of readiness, being on several days notice to fire, rather than on several minutes notice-a move away from the ‘war footing’ of the Cold War patrols. The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) also announced that Trident submarines would undertake a series of secondary roles including hydrographic work, exercises with other warships and equipment trials. This more open policy was soon put into effect with Vanguard making a courtesy visit to Gibraltar in October 1999 followed in February 2000 by a visit from Victorious to the French Naval Port of Brest. Later that year the French returned the gesture with a visit to Faslane by FS L’Inflexible. Also in 2000, Vanguard participated in trials of the Spearfish torpedo at AUTEC (Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Centre) during which she fired a torpedo at the American warship USS O’Bannon.

With the entry of the last boat, Vengeance, into service in 1999 the Navy found itself in a position where it could comfortably maintain the deterrent patrol. This has prompted suggests that one Trident submarine could be converted to carry cruise missiles, an option the Americans are considering with their early Ohio Class Trident submarines.

The continuing strategic importance placed on the Trident in the post-Cold War era was demonstrated during the Kosovo Conflict. Russia had made clear her opposition to the bombing of Yugoslavia with President Yeltsen remarking "do not push us into military action, or there will definitely be a European and possibly a world war". However considerable alarm was raised on April 9th 1999 when Gennady Seleznyov, speaker of the Duma (the Russian parliament), claimed Russian nuclear missiles had been retargetted on NATO countries. Within a matter of hours a Trident submarine was seen leaving Faslane Naval Base. Considering a Trident submarine was already on patrol, this suggested that Britain had taken the Russian threat seriously enough to have two vessels at sea simultaneously.

Class Details

Above: Victorious, the second Trident submarine, at sea.© Crown Copyright.

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© Written and researched by Jeremy Olver. Last updated 29th October 2000. Disclaimer.