SWIFTSURE CLASS SUBMARINE

The Royal Navy's '''Swiftsure''-class' of nuclear fleet submarines (SSN) is the older of the two classes of attack submarine in service with the RN. It originally contained six boats, but HMS ''Swiftsure'' was decommissioned in 1992 due to damage suffered to the pressure hull during trials. HMS ''Splendid'' followed in 2004 due to defence cuts meaning a reduction in the RN SSN fleet. HMS ''Spartan'' was decommissioned in January 2006,with HMS ''Sovereign'' following on 12 September 2006.
The remaining two boats in the class are scheduled to be out of service by 2010, with HMS ''Superb'' going in 2008, followed by HMS ''Sceptre''. They are being replaced by the ''Astute''-class submarine.
A few can now fire Tomahawk missiles in addition to their original armaments of torpedoes, mines and anti-ship missiles.

Contents

General characteristics

General characteristics

★ Builder: Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd

★ Displacement: 4400 tons standard; 4900 tons submerged

★ Length: 83 m

★ Beam: 9.8 m

★ Draught: 8.5 m

★ Complement: 13 officers, 103 ratings

★ Armament: 5 tubes capable of firing:

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★ Spearfish torpedoes

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★ Tigerfish torpedoes

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★ RN Sub Harpoon missiles

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★ Tomahawk missiles (selected submarines only)

★ Sensors:

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★ sonar (bow, flank, active intercept, and towed array sonar)

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★ periscopes (attack and search)

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★ collision avoidance radar

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