HMS Vigilant (S30)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Vigilant.

History
Returning from patrol April 2014
United Kingdom
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 (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 & 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: Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes 16 ballistic missile tubes for: 16 × Lockheed Trident II D5 SLBMs (carrying up to 48 nuclear warhead)

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

Construction

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.

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

Letter of last resort

Peter Hennessy visited Vigilant for the Today programme on BBC Radio 4 in 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.

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

Displacement: 16,000 tons submerged
Propulsion: Rolls-Royce PWR2 reactor, two GEC turbines, single shaft, pump jet propulsor
Electrical Power: two Paxman diesel generators, two WH Allen turbogenerators
Speed: 25 knots (46 km/h) submerged
Complement: 14 officers, 121 men
Strategic Armament: 16 Lockheed Trident II D5 ballistic missiles
Defensive Armament: four 533 mm (21-inch) torpedo tubes, Spearfish torpedoes

References

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

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMS Vigilant (S30).

Royal Navy HMS Vigilant (royalnavy.mod.uk)

Vanguard-class submarines

Vanguard Victorious Vigilant Vengeance

Preceded by: Resolution class Followed by: Dreadnought class List of submarines of the Royal Navy List of submarine classes of the Royal Navy

Commissioned ships of the Royal Navy

Submarines

Vanguard class	Vanguard Victorious Vigilant Vengeance

Trafalgar class	Torbay Trenchant Talent Triumph

Astute class	Astute Ambush Artful

Destroyers

Type 45	Daring Dauntless Diamond Dragon Defender Duncan

Frigates

Type 23	Argyll Lancaster Iron Duke Monmouth Montrose Westminster Northumberland Richmond Somerset Sutherland Kent Portland St Albans

Amphibious
warfare ships

Albion-class LPD	Albion Bulwark

Ocean-class LPH	Ocean

Mine counter
measures vessels

Sandown class	Penzance Pembroke Grimsby Bangor Ramsey Blyth Shoreham

Hunt class	Ledbury Cattistock Brocklesby Middleton Chiddingfold Atherstone Hurworth Quorn

Patrol vessels

Ice patrol vessel	Protector

River class	Mersey Severn Tyne Clyde

Archer class	Archer Biter Smiter Blazer Puncher Charger Ranger Trumpeter Express Example Explorer Exploit Tracker Raider Pursuer Dasher

Scimitar class	Scimitar Sabre

Survey vessels

Ocean survey vessel	Scott

Echo class	Echo Enterprise

Survey launch	Gleaner

Miscellaneous
vessels

Type 82	Bristol (static training vessel)

Ship of the line	Victory (flagship of the First Sea Lord)

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 7/20/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.