The UK launched HMS Vanguard in 1993, and in the years since four Vanguard-class submarines have served as the country’s primary undersea patrol boat. The Vanguard class submarines are powered by nuclear reactors and offer ballistic missile engagement options. These ships are one of the UK’s primary nuclear deterrents and are therefore equipped with nuclear warheads.
The Vanguard class submarines carry 16 Trident II D5 missiles with up to 12 MIRV warheads (yielding up to 192 individual nuclear munitions). The ships operate four torpedo tubes and carry Spearfish torpedoes for underwater or surface combat requirements. The submarines can reach speeds of around 25 knots, which puts them squarely in competitive benchmarks with other nuclear submarines that traverse the depths of Earth’s oceans.
While Vanguard-class submarines are an important part of the UK’s defense backbone, the four newest ships were commissioned in 1999, more than 20 years ago. In contrast, the United States, Russia, and others are introducing new ships to handle submerged deterrence and surveillance missions. For its part, the British government is following the development of new submarine technology and intends to replace these four Vanguard-class ships with the new Dreadnought-class by 2030.
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