Why the UK's submarine nuclear deterrent line is susceptible to risk
A Vanguard Class submarine, HMS Vigilant is shown alongside No 10 berth at HM Naval Base Clyde. (Photo: UK MoD/Crown Copyright)
Lengthy delays to the refit of HMS Vanguard and a fire on board HMS Victorious have exposed vulnerabilities in the UK's continuous at-sea deterrent (CASD).
Earlier this month, UK national newspaper the Daily Telegraph reported that a fire had broken out on the Vanguard-class submarine HMS Victorious while operating in the North Atlantic.
The paper reported that a fault in an electrical module was to blame and that the submarine had surfaced as a precaution.
While the fire was extinguished and the boat safely transited back to port, the incident exposed the fragility of the UK's nuclear deterrent. This issue has been compounded by the extensive time another vessel, HMS Vanguard, has spent in refit.
'With HMS Vanguard's refit several years behind schedule,
Already have an account? Log in
Want to keep reading this article?
Read this Article
Get access to this article with a Free Basic Account
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 2 free stories per week
- Daily news round-up email service
- Access to all Decisive Edge email newsletters
Unlimited Access
Access to all our premium news as a Premium News 365 Member. Corporate subscriptions available.
- Original curated content, daily across air, land and naval domains
- 14-day free trial (cancel at any time)
- Unlimited access to all published premium news
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Russian spy ship Yantar monitored in English Channel]()
Russian spy ship Yantar monitored in English Channel
The vessel returned just months after loitering over UK critical undersea infrastructure.
-
![Hanwha gains cybersecurity Type Approval from ABS]()
Hanwha gains cybersecurity Type Approval from ABS
The company is the first based in Asia to achieve certification from the American Bureau of Shipping.
-
![SEA sells TLS to unnamed navy in the Americas]()
SEA sells TLS to unnamed navy in the Americas
The longstanding modular torpedo launching system has been adopted by the unnamed navy.
-
![Can retrofitted autonomy support cash-strapped navies?]()
Can retrofitted autonomy support cash-strapped navies?
Autonomous vessels can reduce risk to the lives of naval personnel, but could retrofitting be a faster, cheaper option?
