Space & Strategic :: Ballistic Submarines :: Vanguard

Vanguard

IOC: 1993
Total Production: 4
Origin: United Kingdom

Contractor/s: BAE Systems

Description: The Vanguard-class ballistic submarines (SSBN) provide the United Kingdom strategic nuclear deterrent. These submarines are powered by a single PWR2 nuclear reactor. They are armed with 16 Trident II ballistic missiles carrying up to 12 nuclear warheads (NWH), nevertheless typically they carry only 6 NHWs. The Vanguard-class submarines have 4 533mm torpedo tubes to launch Spearfish torpedoes for self-defense purposes.

The Vanguard fleet is always connected to Britain's authorities in order to keep their nuclear weapons under firm political control. Overall Vanguard submarines performance is equivalent to US Ohio class submarines but with fewer displacement and number of ballistic missiles. The Vanguard submarines will remain as the cornerstone of the British nuclear deterrent policy well into the 21st century.

The Royal Navy ordered 4 Vanguard-class submarines starting in 1993 and ending in 1999 with the commissioning of HMS Vengeance. The HMS Vanguard achieved operational capability in 1993 and since then it has become the cornerstone of the British nuclear deterrent.

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:: Specifications ::

Crew: 135
Number of Ballistic Missiles: 16
Torpedo Tubes: 4

Dimensions
Beam: 12.8 meter
Draft: 12 meter
Length: 150 meter

Speed
Top Speed Submerged: 12.9 mps (25 knot)

Time
Service Life: 25 year

Weight
Displacement Submerged: 15,900 ton

:: News ::

There are 16 news between
11 Oct 2005
and
29 Oct 2012

1 2

UK MoD Awards a Further Contract for Successor Submarines Trident II Reaches 142th Successful Test Flight UK MoD Awards Contracts for the Design of Vanguard Ballistic Submarine Successor UK Begins Reduction of Warheads Onboard its Vanguard-Class Strategic Submarines UK MoD Announces Plans for Vanguard-class Nuclear Deterrent Submarine Replacement United Kingdom Releases its Strategic Defence and Security Review Submarine Distress Beacon Enters Service with Royal Navy US Navy Awards Fiscal Year 2010 Production and Support Contract for Trident II D5 Missile System US Navy Awards General Dynamics $10 Million Contract for Common Missile Compartment Work Royal Navy, RAF and BAE Systems Sign 10-Year Contract for Spearfish and Sting Ray Torpedoes

:: Operators ::

Operators
	Country	Items	Country	Items
	United Kingdom	4

fully confirmed operational planned retired cancelled destroyed

:: Related Equipment ::

Related Equipment
		Qty
	Ballistic Missiles
	Trident II	x16
	Submarine Sensors
	Sonar 2054
	Torpedoes
	Spearfish

:: Ship Listing ::

Ship Listing
	Serial	Ship's Name	Flag	Keel Laying	Launch Date	Commissioning	Decommissioning
	S28	HMS Vanguard		-	-	1993	-
	S29	HMS Victorious		-	-	1995	-
	S30	HMS Vigilant		-	-	1996	-
	S31	HMS Vengeance		-	-	1999	-

:: Image Gallery ::

There are 24 images added between
2 Dec 2006
and
29 Oct 2012

1 2 3

:: Notes & Resources ::

Last Updated:
Saturday, February 2, 2013

(*) lead contractor

IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
Meters (m) Kilometers (km) Nautic Miles (nm) Inch (in) Yard (yd) Foot (ft) Millimeter (mm)
Pound (lb) Kilogram (kg) kN (KiloNewton) Ton (t)
Meters per Second (mps) Kilometers per Hour (kph) Knot (kt) Miles per Hour (mph)
Liter (l) Galon (gl)
Year (yr) Minutes (min) Second (sec)
Shaft-Horse-Power (shp)

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