Swiftsure class submarine

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Swiftsure-class submarine

Class Overview
Class Type	Fleet submarine (S)
Class Name
Commissioned
Preceded By	Oberon-class
Succeeded By	Astute-class
Ships of the Class:	Swiftsure Splendid Spartan Sovereign Superb Scepture

The Royal Navy's Swiftsure-class of nuclear fleet submarines (SSNs) is the older of the two classes of attack submarine in service with the RN. It originally contained six boats, but HMS Swiftsure was decommissioned in 1992 due to damage suffered to the pressure hull during trials. HMS Splendid followed in 2004 due to defence cuts meaning a reduction in the RN SSN fleet. HMS Spartan was decommissioned in January 2006,with HMS Sovereign following on 12 September 2006. The remaining two boats in the class are scheduled to be out of service by 2010, with HMS Superb going in 2008, followed by HMS Sceptre. They are being replaced by the Astute class submarine.

A few can now fire Tomahawk missiles in addition to their original armaments of torpedoes, mines and anti-ship missiles.

[edit] General characteristics

Builder: Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd
Displacement: 4400 tons standard; 4900 tons submerged
Length: 83 m
Beam: 9.8 m
Draught: 8.5 m
Complement: 13 officers, 103 ratings
Armament: 5 tubes capable of firing:
- Spearfish torpedoes
- Tigerfish torpedoes
- RN Sub Harpoon missiles
- Tomahawk missiles (selected submarines only)
Sensors:
- sonar (bow, flank, active intercept, and towed array sonar)
- periscopes (attack and search)
- collision avoidance radar