HMS Vigilant (S30)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Vigilant.
Returning from patrol April 2014
Career (UK)
Name: HMS Vigilant
Laid down: 16 February 1991[1]
Launched: 14 October 1995[1]
Commissioned: 2 November 1996[1]
Homeport: HMNB Clyde
Status: in active service, as of 2015
(Sea trials post refit)
Badge:
General characteristics [1]
Class and type:Vanguard-class submarine
Displacement:15,900 tonnes, submerged[2]
Length:149.9 m (491 ft 10 in)
Beam:12.8 m (42 ft 0 in)
Draught:12 m (39 ft 4 in)
Propulsion:
  • 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 × WH Allen turbo generators (6 MW)
  • 2 × Paxman diesel alternators; 2,700 shp (2.0 MW)
Speed:In excess of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph), submerged
Range:Only limited by food and maintenance requirements.
Complement:135
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • BAE Systems SMCS
  • Kelvin Hughes Type 1007 I-band navigation radar
  • Thales Underwater Systems Type 2054 composite sonar suite comprising: 
    • Marconi/Ferranti Type 2046 towed array sonar 
    • Type 2043 hull-mounted active and passive search sonar 
    • Type 2082 passive intercept and ranging sonar
  • Pilkington Optronics CK51 search periscope
  • Pilkington Optronics CH91 attack periscope
Electronic warfare
and decoys:
  • Two SSE Mk10 launchers for Type 2066 and Type 2071 torpedo decoys
  • RESM Racal UAP passive intercept
Armament:4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes for:

16 ballistic missile tubes for:

HMS Vigilant is the third Vanguard-class submarine of the Royal Navy. Vigilant carries the Trident ballistic missile, the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent.

Vigilant was built at Barrow-in-Furness by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd (now BAE Systems Submarine Solutions), was launched in October 1995, and commissioned in November 1996.

Peter Hennessy reporting for the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, reported from Vigilant on 28 December 2007. He reported that there is a grey safe in the control room that has an inner safe that only the commanding officer and executive officer can open. In that safe is a letter from the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the letter of last resort, which contains guidance and orders to be followed should the United Kingdom be attacked with nuclear weapons.

The French Navy also have a SSBN in service called Vigilant.

Operational history

In 2002, protestors from Trident Ploughshares breached security at Faslane Naval Base where the Vanguard-class submarines are based. Two protestors managed to spray paint Vigilant with the CND symbol and the word "Vile".

Vigilant arrived at Devonport on 11 October 2008 for a major refit.[3] Vigilant returned to the fleet on 27 March 2012 after her £300m refit.[4][5] In 2013, she test fired her main weapon, a firing of the Trident D5 after three years.[6]

General characteristics

In the Clyde in 1996

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Jane's Fighting Ships, 2004-2005. Jane's Information Group Limited. p. 794. ISBN 0-7106-2623-1.
  2. ↑ Royal Navy Vanguard class submarine, royalnavy.mod.uk
  3. ↑ "HMS Vigilant Arrives In Devonport for Major Refit". RN. 2008-10-13. Retrieved 2008-10-13.
  4. ↑ "HMS Vigilant SSBN in for GBP 300 million refit". Defense Industry Daily.com. 2009-03-04. Retrieved 2009-04-01.
  5. ↑ "HMS Vigilant: Torpoint Ferry suspended for submarine departure". BBC.co.uk. 2012-03-27. Retrieved 2012-03-27.
  6. ↑ Vigilant crew honoured for work leading to successful missile test firing, royalnavy.mod.uk, 05/06/2013

External links