HMS Victorious (S29)

Victorious near Faslane, Scotland in April 2013.
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Victorious
Laid down:	3 December 1987[1]
Launched:	29 September 1993[1]
Commissioned:	7 January 1995[1]
Homeport:	HMNB Clyde
Fate:	in active service
Badge:
General characteristics [1]
Class and type:	Vanguard-class submarine
Displacement:	15,900 tonnes, submerged[2]
Length:	149.9 m (491 ft 10 in)
Beam:	12.8 m (42 ft 0 in)
Draught:	12 m (39 ft 4 in)
Propulsion:	1 × Rolls-Royce PWR2 nuclear reactor 2 × GEC turbines; 27,500 shp (20.5 MW) 1 × shaft, pump jet propulsor 2 × auxiliary retractable propulsion motors 2 × WH Allen turbo generators (6 MW) 2 × Paxman diesel alternators; 2,700 shp (2.0 MW)
Speed:	In excess of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph), submerged
Range:	Only limited by food and maintenance requirements.
Complement:	135
Sensors and processing systems:	BAE Systems SMCS Kelvin Hughes Type 1007 I-band navigation radar Thales Underwater Systems Type 2054 composite sonar suite comprising:  Marconi/Ferranti Type 2046 towed array sonar  Type 2043 hull-mounted active and passive search sonar  Type 2082 passive intercept and ranging sonar Pilkington Optronics CK51 search periscope Pilkington Optronics CH91 attack periscope
Electronic warfare & decoys:	Two SSE Mk10 launchers for Type 2066 and Type 2071 torpedo decoys RESM Racal UAP passive intercept
Armament:	4 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes for: Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes 16 ballistic missile tubes for: 16 × Lockheed Trident II D5 SLBMs (carrying up to 48 nuclear warhead)

HMS Victorious is the second Vanguard-class submarine of the Royal Navy. Victorious carries the Trident ballistic missile, the UK's nuclear deterrent.

Victorious was built at Barrow-in-Furness by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd (now BAE Systems Submarine Solutions), was launched in September 1993, and commissioned in January 1995.^[1]

Her crew is made up of two watches, "Port" and "Starboard".^[3]

Operational history

In November 2000, while travelling on the surface, Victorious grounded on Skelmorlie Bank in the upper Firth of Clyde in Scotland.^[4]

Victorious was involved in a minor collision with a United States Coast Guard ship in July 2001. The Coast Guard ship became tangled in the fibre optic cables of the submarine's sonar system which disabled its turbines. Victorious was not damaged in the incident.

She became the second of the class to refit, during which time she was fitted with a 'Core H' reactor core ensuring that the boat will not need to refuel again until the end of its service life.^[5] In 2008, she underwent sea trials before resuming patrols in 2009.

In 2013, Victorious completed the UK's 100th deterrent patrol.^[6]

General characteristics

• Displacement: 16,000 tons submerged
• Propulsion: Rolls-Royce PWR2 reactor, two GEC turbines, single shaft, pump jet propulsor
• Electrical Power: two Paxman diesel generators, two WH Allen turbogenerators
• Speed: 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) submerged
• Complement: 21 officers, 146 men
• Strategic Armament: 16 Lockheed Trident II D5 ballistic missiles
• Defensive Armament: four 533 mm (21-inch) torpedo tubes, Spearfish torpedoes

Affiliations

• The Highlanders, 4th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland

See also

• Letters of last resort

References

1. Jane's Fighting Ships, 2004-2005. Jane's Information Group Limited. p. 794. ISBN 0-7106-2623-1.
2. Royal Navy Vanguard class submarine, royalnavy.mod.uk
3. Royal Navy bridge card, 11 February 2011
4. Hansard Hand Written Answers, publications.parliament.uk, 2 Nov 2010
5. Royal Navy - HMS Victorious, royalnavy.mod.uk
6. Victorious summer ends with divisions for submarine’s crew, royalnavy.mod.uk, 26/07/2013

External links

• Royal Navy HMS Victorious (royalnavy.mod.uk)