Not Made in USA: The Vanguard Class Missile Submarine Has Just 1 ‘Mission’

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Key Points: The Royal Navy’s Vanguard-class submarines, developed under Margaret Thatcher’s modernization efforts, remain the backbone of the UK’s nuclear deterrence strategy.

-These subs have one mission: deliver nuclear warheads onto a target. That most likely target would be Russia if World War III ever breaks out. 

-These stealthy submarines are armed with Trident II D5 nuclear missiles and Spearfish Mod 1 torpedoes, the latter recently tested to enhance undersea lethality.

-Powered by Rolls-Royce PWR 2 nuclear reactors, the Vanguard-class boasts unparalleled endurance and advanced sonar systems for superior stealth and detection.

-Despite budget cuts, these submarines affirm Britain’s status as a nuclear power, ensuring global prestige and readiness in the face of potential threats.

British Vanguard-class Submarines Would Make Margaret Thatcher Proud

The Royal Navy’s Vanguard-class nuclear ballistic missile submarines are only in the news a little.

That’s because the British want to keep their activities top secret since these boats have one of the most critical missions in the entire military. 

Due to the sensitive nature of nuclear weapons, the Vanguard-class is a keeper of secrets. 

These “boomers” are jewels of the crown, and the less that is known about them, the better.

New Version of Powerful Torpedo: a Notable Accomplishment

However, a positive development with the Vanguard-class has been made public. The Vanguard-class boats have tested the newest version of the Spearfish heavyweight torpedo. 

The Royal Navy said in August that the Vanguard-class completed evaluations of the weapon. This process is called Sea Acceptance Testing.

 It is a rigorous technique that aims to collect the most accurate data during combat-like conditions.   

The Spearfish Will Make Undersea Warfare Much More Lethal

This is the first time the Spearfish Mod 1 has been tested aboard a submarine. 

Now, the torpedo will be evaluated on Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarines. 

The Spearfish Mod 1 is an active-passive and wire-guided torpedo that can easily sink an enemy ship or submarine. It can hit targets at least 35 nautical miles away.

As Jane’s reported, “the latest trials were conducted over three days off the coast of Scotland and involved the weapon engaging surface and submerged targets, enabling the boat’s crew to operate the new weapon, test the ability to fire it from the SSBN’s combat system, and ensure command-and-control over the weapon,” the Royal Navy said.

The Spearfish Mod 1 will have a better propulsion system to deliver death and destruction. Plus, it can be tracked more accurately by improved software. The Mod 1’s guidance system will also be second-to-none.

Details About the Vanguard-class: Armed with Nuclear Weapons 

The Vanguard-class boomers are stealthy and powerful. 

There are four boats in the class: the Vanguard, Victorious, Vigilant and Vengeance.

 They are homeported at HM Naval Base Clyde, 25 miles west of Glasgow, Scotland. 

These boats are the only delivery system for the British military’s nuclear weapons, so they play a huge role in deterrence and the projection of power.

Clearly, these boats are designed to be part of an attack on Russia, and literally built if World War III with Moscow were to break out. 

Margaret Thatcher Plays an Ace

The Vanguard-class subs were first developed in the early 1980s and meant to lead the military’s renaissance under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s modernization period. 

Thatcher despised the Soviet Union and all things socialist. Anything to thwart Russian power would make her proud. 

The United Kingdom had just won a quick war against Argentina in 1982 after the Falkland’s crisis, and Thatcher wanted the Royal Navy to maintain its dominance in undersea warfare.

Vanguard-class boats have 16 ballistic missile tubes. Eight missile tubes come equipped with Trident II D5 nuclear missiles, each with eight nuclear warheads.

 There are four torpedo tubes to launch the Spearfish Mod 1 weapons.

These submarines are not only stealthy but also equipped with one of the best sonar systems in the world—the Thales Underwater Systems Type 2054 composite sonar. This is a hull-mounted active/passive search sonar system that operates at a very low frequency.

Nuclear Technology First Rate 

The subs are powered by the Rolls-Royce PWR 2 pressurized water reactor. With this propulsion system, the Vanguard-class can circumnavigate the globe dozens of times without the need for re-fueling the reactor. “The reactor drives two GEC steam turbines linked to a single shaft pump jet propulsor, giving the submarines a maximum submerged speed of over 25 knots,” according to SeaForces.org.

Vanguard-class subs are 491 feet long. They displace nearly 16,000 tons submerged. They are the third largest vessels in the Royal Navy. A crew of 135 officers and enlisted personnel are on board.

Margaret Thatcher would have been proud that the Vanguard class still serves its country well. These submarines are a testament to the engineering and design capabilities of the Royal Navy. Britain is still a nuclear power despite budget cuts and reductions in force to its military. 

Still, the nation can sleep at night knowing that brave sailors are patrolling the depths and ready to launch nuclear weapons or torpedoes at a moment’s notice. This adds to the country’s prestige and reminds enemies that the United Kingdom has one of the most powerful navies in the world.

About the Author: Dr. Brent M. Eastwood 

Brent M. Eastwood, PhD, is the author of Don’t Turn Your Back On the World: a Conservative Foreign Policy and Humans, Machines, and Data: Future Trends in Warfare, plus two other books. Brent was the founder and CEO of a tech firm that predicted world events using artificial intelligence. He served as a legislative fellow for U.S. Senator Tim Scott and advised the senator on defense and foreign policy issues. He has taught at American University, George Washington University, and George Mason University. Brent is a former U.S. Army Infantry officer. He can be followed on X @BMEastwood.