100 YEARS OF BARROW-BUILT RN SUBMARINES, 1901-2001
NUCLEAR FLEET SUBMARINES, 1966 on
A NEW ERA!
Fleet submarines are the nuclear-powered capital ships of the modern Navy. They are the main striking power of the Fleet and are themselves the single most effective anti-submarine weapon available. Fitted with complex computer-assisted sensors and the latest torpedoes and missiles, they can silently shadow a target for long periods at high speed while hundreds of feet below the surface, ready to attack with deadly effectiveness when required.
Following the progress made by the United States in the revolutionary field of nuclear-powered submarine propulsion, a mid-1950s policy decision announced that, instead of developing an all-British submarine, much time and money would be saved by accepting the American lead and taking advantage of US nuclear technology. Therefore, the first British nuclear-powered Fleet submarine, HMS Dreadnought, comprised an American 'kit of parts' in a Vickers-built hull.
HMS DREADNOUGHT
Specially designed to hunt and destroy enemy underwater craft, Ship Submersible Nuclear (SSN) 01 Dreadnought was laid down on 12th June, 1959 and launched by Her Majesty the Queen on Trafalgar Day, 21st October 1960. Dreadnought's preliminary trials, which began early in 1962, progressed very satisfactorily - considering that Britain had not built a nuclear-powered submarine before - and she made her first dive, in Ramsden Dock, on 10th January, 1963. At the time of her completion - 17th April, 1963 - she was one of the most formidable attack submarines in the world.
Dreadnought was handled by means of telemotor controls, using a type of joystick and elaborate instrument panel similar to those in the cockpit of a modern aircraft. At high underwater speed she also behaved and handled like an aircraft and could be set on course and depth by an 'automatic pilot'. She was also capable of performing 'aquabatics'.
Comprehensive air-conditioning and purification equipment maintained safe and comfortable atmosphere control and enabled Dreadnought to operate for more than two months without recourse to air from the surface - a pint of distilled sea-water an hour, passed through electrolysers, providing enough oxygen for a 100-man crew. Food supplies were the only factor which limited submerged endurance.
In the after end of Dreadnought, which was almost totally American and was known as the 'American Sector', electricity was produced for less than 1p a kilowatt hour when water produced on the same basis cost about 71/2p a gallon.
Accommodation was of an unprecedented standard, even in surface vessels, and the crew appreciated shower baths, laundry and washing facilities; amenities that weren't installed in earlier submarines. Separate mess spaces were provided for senior and junior rates, arranged on either side of a large galley, equipped for serving meals on the cafeteria system. Particular attention was paid to the decoration and furnishing of living quarters and recreational spaces - which included cinema equipment, an extensive library and tape recordings; features which helped to offset the monotony associated with prolonged underwater voyages.
During her career, Dreadnought went on many varied patrols. On 24th June, 1967, she was ordered to sink the wrecked and drifting German ship Essberger Chemist. Three torpedoes hit along the length of the target; the gunners of HMS Salisbury finished the job by piercing the tanks which were just keeping the Essberger Chemist afloat.
In the mid-60s, Dreadnought's visits included trips to Norfolk (Virginia), Bermuda, Rotterdam and Kiel. She was at Gibraltar in 1965, 1966 and 1967, and on 19th September, 1967 she left Rosyth for Singapore on a sustained high speed run. The round trip finished as 4640 miles surfaced and 26 545 miles submerged.
Apart from minor hull-cracking problems, Dreadnought proved to be a reliable vessel, popular with her crews. In 1970, she completed a major refit at Rosyth in the course of which her nuclear core was refuelled and her ballast tank valves were changed to reduce noise. She re-commissioned on 10th September, 1970 - and had a commemorative postal cover to prove it. On 3rd March, 1971, she became the first British submarine to surface at the North Pole.
Placed on the disposals list in 1983, having exceeded her designed 15 year hull life by a further 8 years, Dreadnought was laid up indefinitely at Rosyth Naval Dockyard upon decommissioning while her radioactive contamination decayed. Her nuclear fuel was removed and she was stripped of useful equipment.
During Dreadnought's build, Rolls Royce and Associates, in collaboration with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, were developing a completely new nuclear propulsion system. On 31st August, 1960, Britain's second nuclear-powered submarine was ordered from Vickers and, fitted with Rolls-Royce's nuclear steam-raising plant, Valiant was the first all-British nuclear submarine.
VALIANT CLASS
Although the name originally chosen for her was Inflexible, Britain's second nuclear submarine was commissioned as HMS Valiant on 18th July, 1966. Derived directly from HMS Dreadnought, Valiant's near-perfect streamlining gave maximum underwater efficiency, whilst her fin-like conning tower was designed to reduce 'drag' to a minimum.
As early as April 1967, Valiant set a record submerged passage for a British submarine when she completed the 12 000-mile homeward voyage from Singapore in 28 days. Month-long submerged voyages became the routine.
Vickers' third 'nuke', Warspite, was launched on 25th September, 1965, and commissioned on 18th April 1967. Unfortunately, completion of the Valiant Class was held back to speed work on the Resolution Class Polaris submarines. However, as soon as Resolution was launched, no time was lost in completing the Valiant Class and starting work on a Repeat Valiant Class - the Vickers-built Churchill and Courageous, together with Cammell Laird's Conqueror, the only British nuclear Fleet submarine to be built outside Barrow.
CHURCHILL CLASS
Whilst not officially recognised as a first of class, Churchill was considered as such by many, being the first of the 'Improved Valiant' Class. One of these submarines proved the inherent defensive/offensive capability of a nuclear submarine beyond doubt during the Falklands conflict, confining the entire opposing surface fleet to harbour and then striking with devastating effect when one warship made a run for it.
SWIFTSURE CLASS
From 1969 to 1977, Vickers laid down a new class of six Swiftsure Class submarines (Swiftsure, Sovereign, Superb, Sceptre, Spartan and Splendid) which incorporated major improvements and enhanced operational capability, bringing the total nuclear-powered Fleet submarines in the Royal Navy to 12. Budget cuts prompted the early retirement of the lead vessel, Swiftsure in 1992. Splendid, the first vessel of the class to receive and fire Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles is reportedly scheduled for deletion in 2003. After this class was completed, work began on the next generation of even more sophisticated Trafalgar Class SSN submarines.
LIFE ON BOARD
Most of a nuclear-powered submarine's crew are watchkeepers whose working hours are taken up by regular watch-keeping positions and with the continuous training task. 'Off-duty' time is not entirely free as everyone has some further task to perform, such as routine maintenance, paper-work or 'housekeeping' and 'domestic' chores.
To maintain peak efficiency, proper relaxation is very necessary, and entertainment during patrols is provided by a wide selection of films/videos, a large popular 'paperback' library, and by personal stereo or compact disc players which cater for individual musical tastes. Accommodation is of a high standard, despite obvious limitations in space. The mess, recreation and sleeping spaces are as pleasant and comfortable as possible within the confines of a submarine hull, and a modern, well-equipped galley, which maintains a high standard of catering, offers a choice of several hot or cold dishes at all mealtimes.
CHANGING ROLE IN THE MILLENNIUM
Although capable of keeping up with a surface fleet, it was considered unlikely that the high-performance Fleet submarines would ever be seen in close formation with surface ships in normal exercises or in actual operations. With some fearsome title of 'Hunter-Killers', their perceived task was to hunt down their prey alone - to reduce the risk of being attacked by friendly forces. However, recent developments in the communications fit in modernised RN nuclear submarines has resulted in improved connectivity with surface vessels and aircraft and has fitted them for a new role, working with the fleet in Maritime Contributions to Joint Operations (MCJO). When not engaged in such operations, their stealth characteristics can be fully utilized in intelligence gathering.
The nuclear-powered submarine represents a terrible threat to surface warships, for her speed enables her to close in, attack with a variety of weapons - such as guided torpedoes or missiles - and then withdraw at high speed and her stealth capability enables this to be achieved without detection. The recent and ongoing installation of Tomahawk cruise missile systems at refit has opened up a new offensive dimension in land attack capability. As Admiral Sir John Fisher wrote prophetically in 1904 - 'It's astounding to me how the very best amongst us fail to realize the vast impending revolution in naval warfare and naval strategy that the submarine will accomplish!'
On the 15th March, 1983, HMS Warspite returned to her base at Faslane, after an 111-day patrol off the Falklands - stated to be the longest ever made in peacetime by a British submarine. With a 110-man crew, her Commanding Officer, Cdr J G F Cooke, said the only things left in the submarine's deep freeze were 'three herrings and two lemons'.
MAIN PARTICULARS DREADNOUGHT VALIANT AND CHURCHILL CLASSES SWIFTSURE CLASS
Length overall 265 ft 9 in 285 ft 272 ft
Beam 32 ft 3 in 32 ft 3 in 32 ft 3 in
Displacement,
surface 3500 tons 3500 tons 3500 tons
submerged 4000 tons 4500 tons 4500 tons
Diving depth In excess of 1000 ft In excess of 1000 ft In excess of 1000 ft
Speed,
surface In excess of 25 knots In excess of 25 knots In excess of 25 knots
submerged 30 knots 30 knots In excess of 28 knots
Armament Six 21-inch bow tubes Six 21-inch bow tubes Five 21-inch bow tubes
