Swiftsure class submarine
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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 and HMS Sovereign were decommissioned in January 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.
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
| Swiftsure-class submarine |
| Swiftsure | Sovereign | Superb | Sceptre | Spartan | Splendid |
| List of submarines of the Royal Navy List of submarine classes of the Royal Navy |
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