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fighting ships of the world

ROYAL NAVY - UNITED KINGDOM

SUBMARINES

VANGUARD nuclear ballistic missile submarines (1993 - 1999)

Vanguard 2000

Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
Vanguard S28   VSEL, Barrow 3.9.1986 4.3.1992 14.8.1993 in service (2019)
Victorious S29   VSEL, Barrow 3.12.1987 29.9.1993 7.1.1995 in service (2019)
Vigilant S30   VSEL, Barrow 16.2.1991 14.10.1995 2.11.1996 in service (2019)
Vengeance S31   VSEL, Barrow 1.2.1993 19.9.1998 27.11.1999 in service (2019)

 

Displacement standard, t

 

Displacement normal, t

14000 / 15850

Length, m

149.3

Breadth, m

12.8

Draught, m

10.1

No of shafts

1 pump-jet

Machinery

2 2 sets GEC-Alstom geared steam turbines, 1 Vickers-Rolls-Royce PWR2 nuclear reactor

Power, h. p.

27500

Max speed, kts

 / 25

Fuel, t

nuclear

Endurance, nm(kts)

practically unlimited

Armament

16 Trident D-5 SLBM (16 UGM-133A), 4 - 533 TT (bow)

Electronic equipment

type 1007 radar, type 2054 sonar suite (type 2043, type 2044, type 2045 sonars), UAC(3), UAP(3) ECM suites, 3x SSDE Mk 10 decoy launchers (type 2066, type 2071 decoys); SAFS 3, DCC(BN) CCS

Complement

143

Diving depth operational, m

230

Project history: In 1980 the MoD announced that it would build four submarines armed with the Trident UGM-93A, replacing the four Polaris-armed Resolutions towards the end of the decade. In general they resemble the Resolution class but are much bigger.

    The major improvements are the more powerful PWR 2 reactor and the integrated Type 2054 sonar system. The emphasis on both weapons and platform is higher reliability, to reduce the time spent in refit. The interval between recoring is estimated to be eight to nine years. It was hoped to buy the C4 Trident I missile system but this is no longer in production for the USN, so the D5 Trident II had to be bought instead.

Modernizations: 2005, Vanguard; 2008, Victorious; 2012, Vigilant; 2015, Vengeance: - type 2044, type 2045 sonars, SAFS 3, DCC(BN) CCS; + type 2046, type 2081, type 2082 sonars, SMCS NG, DCM 4 CCS

Naval service: Vanguard was damaged 3.2.2009 in collision with French SSBN Le Triomphant and returned into service in July.

Vengeance 2000

 

© Ivan Gogin, 2016-19