Royal Navy’s newest submarine HMS Audacious completes her maiden deployment
HMS Audacious has conducted NATO maritime security patrols in the Mediterranean on her maiden operational deployment.
SSN
Getting boats to sea – efforts to improve Royal Navy submarine availability
With the RN attack submarine fleet down to just 5 boats and the pressure of maintaining the nuclear deterrent unrelenting, initiatives to improve submarine reliability and availability have never been more important. Here we look at what is being done to mitigate chronic legacy issues and increase the time submarines spend at sea.
HMS Talent retired. Royal Navy down to just 5 attack submarines
Reliable sources say that HMS Talent is being prepared for disposal with a formal decommissioning ceremony planned for sometime in May. This leaves the RN down to just 5 SSNs in service for at least the next year or more.
Nuclear submarines for Australia – what are the options?
The political and strategic ramifications of the AUKUS pact announced in September continue to reverberate but the details of how Australia will actually acquire nuclear-powered submarines have been rather overlooked. Here we focus on the daunting technical, industrial and financial challenges to be overcome on the long road to joining the SSN club.
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Spearfish Mod 1 torpedo goes into service after final trials by HMS Audacious
Already one of the finest heavyweight torpedoes in the world, the programme to further enhance the accuracy and lethality of Spearfish is now complete. After extensive development and trials, the weapon has now been declared operational by the RN.
Duty done – farewell HMS Trenchant
HMS Trenchant returned to Devonport for the final time on 25 March. She will be formally decommissioned before joining the long list of submarines awaiting disposal. Here we take a brief look at her career and the current status of the Royal Navy’s SSN fleet.
Royal Navy submarines and non-acoustic sensor technology
The arrival of HMS Talent in Gibraltar in February fitted with additional sensors on her fin has raised the public awareness of non-acoustic submarine detection methods. Sonar remains the primary means of locating submarines but here we examine what is known about other technologies that may be used in the undersea battle to detect and trail adversary boats.
Can Plymouth give its Royal Navy heritage the place it deserves?
An ambitious plan has been launched to create a new Cold War and Maritime Heritage Museum in Plymouth featuring the retired nuclear submarine, HMS Courageous, as its centrepiece. Here we look at the hurdles that must be overcome to make this exceptional concept a reality
Upgrading the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarine support facilities
Plans to convert another dry dock in Devonport to refit the Dreadnought class submarines were recently revealed in an outline planning application. Here we examine the context and reasons for the upgrade.