Vanguard-class Nuclear Ballistic Missile Submarine

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Nuclear ballistic missile submarine HMS Vanguard (S28) arrives back at HM Naval Base Clyde, Faslane, Scotland on November 29th, 2010 following a patrol.

The Vanguard-class is a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) in service with the Royal Navy. The class was introduced in 1994 as part of the Trident nuclear program, and includes four boats: Vanguard, Victorious, Vigilant and Vengeance. They were built between 1986 and 1999 at Barrow-in-Furness by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering, which is now owned by BAE Systems. All four boats are based at HM Naval Base Clyde (HMS Neptune), 25 miles (40.23 kilometers) west of Glasgow, Scotland.

Since the decommissioning of the Royal Air Force WE.177 free-fall thermonuclear weapons in 1998, the four Vanguard-class submarines are the sole platforms for the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons. Each submarine is armed with up to 16 UGM-133 Trident II missiles. The class is scheduled to be replaced starting 2028, though its replacement would not enter service until early 2030s.

Specifications[edit | edit source]

  • Type: Nuclear powered Ballistic Missile Submarine
  • Service Period: 1993-Present
  • Characteristics:
    • Length: 491 feet 10 inches (149.91 meters)
    • Beam: 42 feet (12.8 meters)
    • Draught: 39 feet 4 inches (12 meters)
    • Displacement: 15,600 tons (Submerged)
  • Crew: 135
  • Propulsion:
    • 1 x Rolls Royce PWR2 pressurized water reactor, 2 x GEC steam turbines, 1 x single-shaft pump jet, 55,000 shp (41 MW)
    • 2 x auxiliary retractable propulsion motors
    • 2 x WH Allen turbo generators, 6 MW
    • 2 x Paxman diesel alternators, 2,700 shp (2 MW)
  • Range: Unlimited
  • Speed: 30+ knots (55.56+ km/h)
  • Sensor Suite:
    • Type 1007 I-Band Navigation Radar
    • Type 2054 Composite Sonar
      • Type 2043 Active/Passive Search Sonar
      • Type 2082 Passive Ranging/Intercept Sonar
      • Type 2046 Towed Array Sonar
    • CK51 Search Periscope
    • CH91 Attack Periscope
  • Countermeasures:
    • UAP Mk.III ESM Suite
    • 2 x SSE Mk.X Decoy Launchers (fires Type 2066/2071 Decoys
  • Armament:
    • 4 x 21" torpedo tubes (fires Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes)
    • 16 x Ballistic Missile Tubes (fires Lockheed UGM-133 Trident II SLBMs)

Unit Run[edit | edit source]

  • HMS Vanguard (S28)
  • HMS Victorious (S29)
  • HMS Vigilant (S30)
  • HMS Vengeance (S31)
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