View source for Swiftsure-class submarine

{{Short description|1973 class of British nuclear submarines}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=HMS Spartan Leaves Faslane MOD 45138100.jpg
|Ship image size=280px
|Ship caption=HMS ''Spartan'' in 1993
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''Swiftsure'' class
|Builders=[[Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering|Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd. (VSEL)]]
|Operators={{navy|United Kingdom}}
|Class before={{sclass|Churchill|submarine|4}}
|Class after={{sclass|Trafalgar|submarine|4}}
|Subclasses=
|Cost=
|Built range=
|In service range=
|In commission range=17 April 1973 – 10 December 2010
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=
|Total ships completed=6
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=
|Total ships retired=6
|Total ships preserved=
}}{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption=
|Ship type=[[Submarine]]
|Ship displacement= *{{convert|4400|t|ST|2|abbr=on}} standard
* {{convert|4900|t|ST|2|abbr=on}} submerged
|Ship length={{convert|82.9|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|9.8|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship height=
|Ship draught={{convert|8.5|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft=
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=[[Nuclear Reactor]]
|Ship speed=In excess of {{convert|28|kn|km/h}} when dived
|Ship range=Unlimited (nuclear)
|Ship endurance=
|Ship test depth=
|Ship complement=116 (13 officers)
|Ship sensors=Bow, flank, active intercept, and [[towed array sonar]], periscopes (attack and search), collision avoidance radar
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=
*5 x [[British 21 inch torpedo|21 inch (533 mm)]] torpedo tubes
**[[Spearfish torpedo]]es
**RN [[Sub Harpoon missile]]s (until c.2004)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200001/cmhansrd/vo010129/text/10129w19.htm|title=House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 29 Jan 2001 (pt 19)|access-date=19 December 2014}}</ref>
**[[Tomahawk (missile family)|Tomahawk missile]]s (not all fitted)
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

The '''''Swiftsure'' class''' was a class of [[Nuclear submarine|nuclear-powered]] [[fleet submarine]]s in service with the [[Royal Navy]] from the early 1970s until 2010.

Six boats were built and commissioned. [[HMS Swiftsure (S126)|''Swiftsure'']] was decommissioned in 1992 due to damage suffered to her pressure hull during trials. {{HMS|Splendid|S106|2}} followed in 2004 after defence cuts caused a reduction in the size of the Royal Navy submarine fleet. {{HMS|Spartan|S105|2}} was decommissioned in January 2006, with {{HMS|Sovereign|S108|2}} following on 12 September 2006. {{HMS|Superb|S109|2}} was decommissioned on 26 September 2008. The remaining boat in the class, {{HMS|Sceptre|S104|2}}, was decommissioned in December 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm090303/text/90303w0014.htm|title=House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 03 Mar 2009 (pt 0014)|access-date=19 December 2014}}</ref> The six boats of the class were not replaced, although the seven boats of the successor [[Trafalgar-class submarine|''Trafalgar''-class submarines]] are in the process of being replaced by seven boats of the [[Astute-class submarine|''Astute''-class submarines]].

A few were upgraded with the capability to launch [[Tomahawk (missile family)|Tomahawk]] cruise missiles in addition to their original armaments of [[torpedo]]es, [[Naval mine|mines]] and anti-ship missiles.  They were also the first class of Royal Navy submarines to be built with shrouded [[pump-jet]] [[propulsor]]s.<ref name=Hoolp184/>

==Design history==
The {{HMS|Dreadnought|S101|2}}, {{sclass|Valiant|submarine|5}} and {{sclass|Churchill|submarine|5}} classes all had a [[Teardrop hull|"whale-shaped hull"]], of "near-perfect streamlining giving maximum underwater efficiency".  The hulls were of British design, "based on the pioneering work of the [[US Navy]] in {{sclass|Skipjack|submarine|5}} and {{USS|Albacore|AGSS-569|2}}."<ref>Blackman, Raymond VB, ''Jane's Fighting Ships, 1966–67'', pub Sampson Low Marston & Co Ltd, 1966, p. 279.</ref> The hull of the ''Swiftsure'' class was a different shape and maintained its diameter for a much greater length than previous classes.<ref name=Janes1982p546Cost/> Compared with the ''Valiant''s the ''Swiftsure''s were {{convert|13|ft|m|abbr=on}}<ref name=Hoolp184>Hool, Jack, and Nutter, Keith, ''Damned Un-English Machines, a history of Barrow-built submarines'', pub Tempus, 2003, {{ISBN|0-7524-2781-4}} pages 181–4.</ref> "shorter with a fuller form, with the fore-planes set further forward, with one less torpedo tube and with a deeper diving depth."<ref name=Janes1982p546Cost/>

A second major change was in propulsion. Rather than the seven/nine-bladed [[propeller]] used by the previous classes, all but the first of the ''Swiftsure''-class submarines used a shrouded pump-jet propulsor.<ref name=Hoolp184/> The prototype propulsor had powered {{HMS|Churchill|S46|2}}.<ref>Hool, Jack, and Nutter, Keith, ''Damned Un-English Machines, a history of Barrow-built submarines'', pub Tempus, 2003, {{ISBN|0-7524-2781-4}} page 180.</ref> It is not clear why {{HMS|Swiftsure|S126|2}} was the only one of the class not fitted with a propulsor.<ref name=Hoolp184/> The propulsor was perhaps as much as 50% more efficient than a propeller, producing the same speed at lower revolutions, thus reducing the noise signature.  In addition all pipework connections to equipment on the main machinery raft had expansion/flexible coupling connections, which also reduced noise. The US Navy secured a licence to copy the main shaft flexible coupling arrangement in US-built submarines.<ref name=Hoolp184/>

==Construction programme==
{|class=wikitable
|-valign=top
!  | [[Pennant number]]
!  | Name
!  | Builder
!  | Ordered
!  | Laid down
!  | Launched
!  | Accepted<br />into service
!  | Commissioned
!  | Decommissioned
!  | Estimated<br />building cost<ref>"Unit cost, i.e. excluding cost of certain items (e.g. aircraft, First Outfits)." Text from ''Defences Estimates''</ref>
|-valign=top
|  | S126
|  | [[HMS Swiftsure (S126)|''Swiftsure'']]
|rowspan="6" align="center" | [[Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering]], [[Barrow-in-Furness]].<ref name=Conwaysp531>Gardiner, Robert ''Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995'', pub Conway Maritime Press, 1995, {{ISBN|0-85177-605-1}} p. 531.</ref>
|  | 3 November 1967<ref name=Janes1982p546Cost/>
|  | 6 June 1969<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | 7 September 1971<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  |
|  | 17 April 1973<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | 1992
|  | £37,100,000<ref name=Janes1982p546Cost>Moore, John, ''Janes Fighting Ships 1982–83'', pub Jane's Publishing, 1982, {{ISBN|0-7106-0742-3}} p. 546, which quotes building costs for ''Swiftsure'', ''Superb'', ''Sceptre'', and ''Splendid''.  The costs quoted for ''Superb'', ''Sceptre'', and ''Splendid'' are identical to those from Hansard.</ref> (equivalent to £{{Inflation|UK|37.1|1982|r=2}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|UK}}){{Inflation/fn|UK}}
|-valign=top
|  | S108
|  | [[HMS Sovereign (S108)|''Sovereign'']]
|  | 16 May 1969<ref name=Janes1982p546Cost/>
|  | 18 September 1970<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | 17 February 1973<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | 22 July 1974<ref name=Hansard23Oct89p23a>[https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1989/oct/23/research-establishments#S6CV0158P0_19891023_CWA_517 Hansard HC Deb 23 October 1989 vol 158 cc357-8W] Question to the Secretary of State for Defence asking him to list the Royal Navy vessels built in each of the past 15 years, showing the cost of each and the yards in which they were constructed, 23 October 1983.  The second part of this may be found at [https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1989/oct/23/navy-vessels Hansard HC Deb 23 October 1989 vol 158 cc358-61W].</ref>
|  | 11 July 1974<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | 12 September 2006
|  | £31,100,000<ref name=Hansard23Oct89p23a/> (equivalent to £{{Inflation|UK|31.1|1989|r=2}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|UK}}){{Inflation/fn|UK}}
|-valign=top
|  | S109
|  | [[HMS Superb (S109)|''Superb'']]
|  | 20 May 1970<ref name=Janes1982p546Cost/>
|  | 16 March 1972<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | 30 November 1974<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | 29 November 1976<ref name=Hansard23Oct89p23a/>
|  | 13 November 1976<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | 26 September 2008
|  | £41,300,000<ref name=Hansard23Oct89p23a/> (equivalent to £{{Inflation|UK|41.3|1989|r=2}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|UK}}){{Inflation/fn|UK}}
|-valign=top
|  | S104
|  | [[HMS Sceptre (S104)|''Sceptre'']]
|  | 1 November 1971<ref name=Janes1982p546Cost/>
|  | 19 February 1974<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | 20 November 1976<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | 11 March 1978<ref name=Hansard23Oct89p23a/>
|  | 14 February 1978<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | 10 December 2010.<ref name=NavyNewsAug2010>''Sceptre's Apple Bye'', Navy News, August 2010, page 11.</ref>
|  | £58,900,000<ref name=Hansard23Oct89p23a/> (equivalent to £{{Inflation|UK|58.9|1989|r=2}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|UK}}){{Inflation/fn|UK}}
|-valign=top
|  | S105
|  | [[HMS Spartan (S105)|''Spartan'']]
|  | 7 February 1973<ref name=Janes1982p546Cost/><ref>[https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1977/nov/24/warship-building#S5CV0939P0_19771124_CWA_263 Hansard HC Deb 24 November 1977 vol 939 cc869-70W] Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about contracts, 24 November 1977.<br />For the fifth ''Swiftsure'' class fleet submarine (HMS ''Spartan'') the planned order date when tender invited was September 1972.  The contract was placed in February 1973.</ref>
|  | 26 April 1976<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | 7 April 1978<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | 10 October 1979<ref name=Hansard23Oct89p23a/>
|  | 22 September 1979<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | January 2006
|  | £68,900,000<ref name=Hansard23Oct89p23a/> (equivalent to £{{Inflation|UK|68.9|1989|r=2}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|UK}}){{Inflation/fn|UK}}
|-valign=top
|  | S106
|  | [[HMS Splendid (S106)|''Splendid'']]<br />(ex-''Severn'')<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | 26 May 1976<ref name=Janes1982p546Cost/><ref>[https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1976/nov/15/shipbuilding#S5CV0919P0_19761115_CWA_235 Hansard HC Deb 15 November 1976 vol 919 c363W] Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about shipbuilding contracts, 15 November 1976.<br />For the sixth ''Swiftsure'' class fleet submarine, the planned order date when tender invited was late 1974.  The contract was placed in May 1976.</ref>
|  | 23 November 1977<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | 5 October 1979<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | 5 May 1981<ref name=Hansard23Oct89p23a/>
|  | 21 March 1981<ref name=Conwaysp531/>
|  | 2004
|  | £97,000,000<ref name=Hansard23Oct89p23a/> (equivalent to £{{Inflation|UK|97|1989|r=2}}&nbsp;million in {{Inflation/year|UK}}){{Inflation/fn|UK}}
|-
|}

==Operational history==

===Combat history===

Both ''Splendid'' and ''Spartan'' were ordered to sail south for the [[Falkland Islands]] two days before the [[1982 invasion of the Falkland Islands|Argentine invasion]] of the islands on 30 March 1982. ''Spartan'' was the first boat to arrive in the islands and began to enforce a {{convert|200|mi|km|adj=on}} [[Total Exclusion Zone|maritime exclusion zone]] imposed by the British. Shortly after, ''Spartan'' sighted Argentine merchant shipping mining the harbour at [[Stanley, Falkland Islands|Stanley]], but was not ordered to attack. This was partly due to British concerns about escalating the war too early, but also to avoid scaring off more valuable targets such as the Argentine [[aircraft carrier]] {{ship|ARA|Veinticinco de Mayo|V-2|2}}. Unlike {{HMS|Conqueror|S48|6}}, neither ''Spartan'' nor ''Splendid'' [[wikt:fire in anger|fired in anger]] during the [[Falklands War]], but they did provide valuable reconnaissance to the British Task Force on Argentine aircraft movements and the submarines' presence effectively restricted the freedom of action of the [[Argentine Navy]] which spent most of the war confined to port.

In the late 1990s, ''Splendid'' became the first British vessel to be armed with American-built [[Tomahawk (missile family)|Tomahawk]] [[cruise missile]]s. In 1999 the [[BBC]] was allowed on board the boat to record her firing Tomahawks in battle against [[Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslav]] targets in [[Belgrade]] during the [[Kosovo War]], becoming the first British submarine in the conflict to do so. She again fired these weapons against Iraqi targets in the [[2003 invasion of Iraq]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3075011.stm|title=BBC NEWS – UK – Scotland – Hero's welcome for sub crew|date=17 July 2003 |access-date=19 December 2014}}</ref>

===Incidents===
In the early 1980s ''Sceptre'' collided with a [[Soviet]] submarine and her reactor's protection systems would have performed an automatic emergency shutdown (scrammed the reactor), but her captain ordered the safety mechanisms overridden ([[battleshort]] enabled). The crew were told to say that they had hit an iceberg. This incident was disclosed when David Forghan, ''Sceptre''{{'}}s former weapons officer, gave a television interview which was broadcast on 19 September 1991. The Soviet submarine involved was probably [[Russian submarine Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy (K-211)|''K-211 Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky'']] of the [[Delta-class submarine|Delta III class]], which on 23 May 1981 collided with an unknown submarine, identified at the time as an unknown American {{sclass|Sturgeon|submarine|1}}.<ref>[http://submarine.id.ru/api.php?avar Российский Подводныи Флот (Russian Submarine Fleet) at submarine.id.ru, collision #22 (Russian language)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304054958/http://submarine.id.ru/api.php?avar |date=4 March 2012 }}</ref>

''Sovereign'' underwent an extensive refit in the mid-1990s and was rededicated in January 1997. Cracks were discovered in the tailshaft during post-refit [[sea trials]] and she was sent to [[Rosyth]] for 14 weeks of emergency repairs in June 1998 before returning to [[Faslane]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2012}}

On 6 March 2000 ''Sceptre'' suffered a serious accident while inside a drydock at the [[Rosyth Dockyard|Rosyth]] yards while undergoing trials towards the end of a major refit. The test involved flooding the drydock, and running the main engines slowly with steam supplied from the shore. However, too much steam was used and the engines over-sped. ''Sceptre'' broke her moorings and moved forward off the cradle she rested on. The steam line ruptured, scaffolding buckled, a crane was pushed forward some {{convert|15|ft|m}}, and the submarine moved forward some {{convert|20|m|ft}} inside the dock.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/666943.stm|title=BBC News &#124; SCOTLAND &#124; Nuclear sub crash inquiry|website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref>

On 26 May 2008, ''Superb'' hit an underwater pinnacle in the [[Red Sea]], {{convert|80|mi|km}} south of the [[Suez Canal]]. She remained watertight, and none of the 112 crew were injured; however, she was unable to resubmerge due to damage to her sonar.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7422774.stm |title=UK submarine hits Red Sea rocks |publisher=BBC |date=27 May 2008 |access-date=27 May 2008}}</ref> After undertaking initial repairs at the [[Souda Bay]] [[Souda Bay#Current military activities|NATO base]] on [[Crete]] on 10 June 2008, she passed through the [[Mediterranean]], with a pause (at night) some miles off [[Gibraltar]] to disembark some less critical crew.{{citation needed|date=February 2018}} ''Superb'' then continued back to the UK, arriving at [[HMNB Devonport]] on 28 June 2008.<!-- The 26 Sept 2008 BBC report supports that she went to HMNB Devonport, but does not mention the date -->{{citation needed|date=February 2018}}<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/7638229.stm|title=Superb submarine's final service|date=26 September 2008|access-date=2018-04-27|language=en-GB}}</ref> After surveying the damage, the Royal Navy decided to decommission ''Superb'' slightly ahead of schedule on 26 September 2008.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/devon/7638229.stm |title=Superb submarine's final service |publisher=BBC |date=26 September 2008 |access-date=27 September 2008}}</ref>

==In fiction==
HMS ''Sceptre'' acts as a ''[[nom de guerre]]'' for the ''Red October'' in Tom Clancy's eponymous [[The Hunt for Red October|novel]], as she enters the [[Norfolk Naval Station]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Clancy |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Clancy |date=1984 |title=The Hunt for Red October |location=Annapolis, Maryland |publisher=Naval Institute Press |page= |isbn=|quote=HMS Sceptre was the name of an English attack submarine. She must be somewhere remote, Ryan though, patrolling the Falklands or some other faraway location so that her arrival in Norfolk would be just another routine occurrence,"}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of submarines of the Royal Navy]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Swiftsure class submarine}}
{{UK submarine classes after 1945}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swiftsure Class Submarine}}
[[Category:Submarine classes]]
[[Category:Swiftsure-class submarines| ]]
[[Category:Nuclear-powered submarines]]