UPHOLDER CLASS TYPE 2400 PATROL SUBMARINES - 1986 ONWARDS
The Type 2400 conventional diesel/electric ocean-going patrol submarines were conceived as the successors to the Oberon Class Patrol submarines and initial estimates were drawn up for 10 replacement boats which would remain in service with the Royal Navy well into the 21st century.
The Type 2400 was an all-new design revealed in 1979 that benefitted considerably from the research and development programme carried out for the Royal Navy's nuclear-powered fleet submarines. The hull form in particular incorporated many features derived from the extensive hydrodynamic testing undertaken in connection with the latest generation SSNs. From the outset, the objective was to achieve a product which would surpass the performance of the classic Oberon patrol submarines in every respect. It would feature a greater degree of automation resulting in a much reduced crew and, as if that was not enough, every effort was to be made to ensure that it became the quietest conventional submarine in the world.
The first boat, initially known as SSK01 was ordered in November 1983 from British Shipbuilders' Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering shipyard at Barrow. It was planned to give SSK01-04 a first generation combat system and to fit boats SSK05-10 with a more sophisticated second generation combat system with new sonar suite, active search and mine detection sets all under development and scheduled to become available later in the decade. At that time, the Cold War was still affecting the country's relationship with the USSR and these boats were to be deployed to patrol the Greenland chokepoint where Russian submarines made their way to the Atlantic.
First of Class - Upholder
The first of class Type 2400, SSK01 was laid down in 1983 and named and launched by Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent on December 2nd 1986. Bestowed with the name Upholder after the most famous and successful WWII submarine which had also been built at Barrow in 1939-40, much was expected of this new patrol submarine which bore such a distinguished name.
