Three of the Royal Navy’s four nuclear-armed Vanguard-class submarines have been deployed to sea.
Sea-news.az reports citing sources quoted by The Times.
This marks the first time in over five years that three such vessels have been at sea simultaneously. Under standard operational protocols, one Vanguard-class submarine is continuously maintained on deterrence patrol. According to the publication, the other two submarines are likely participating in exercises and preparing for upcoming patrol deployments.
The report notes that having three operational submarines available enables the Royal Navy to reduce individual patrol deployment lengths for crews. British media had previously reported severe strain on military personnel who were forced to spend up to six months at a time aboard patrolling submarines due to the unreadiness or ongoing repairs of remaining fleet units.
The United Kingdom’s strategic submarine fleet consists of four Vanguard-class nuclear-powered submarines: HMS Vanguard, Vengeance, Victorious, and Vigilant. Built in the 1990s, all four are equipped with Trident II (D5) submarine-launched ballistic missiles. According to the UK’s 2021 Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, these vessels will be progressively replaced by the new Dreadnought-class submarines starting in the early 2030s.
