TRAFALGAR CLASS FLEET NUCLEAR SUBMARINES -1983 ONWARDS
The first of a new class of seven fleet submarines was ordered from VSEL Barrow in September 1977. Conceived as the 'Modified Swiftsure Class' and subsequently termed the 'Improved Swiftsure Class' they were designed to be considerably quieter than previous submarines and their pressure hull and outer surfaces were clad with conformal anechoic noise reducing tiles. In a departure from traditional practice, a 1/5th scale perspex model was built for proving and perfecting the design rather than full size wooden mock-ups of critical parts.
