After 34 years in service, the Royal Navy has formally retired the last of its Cold War-era Trafalgar-class nuclear-powered attack submarines, specifically HMS Triumph. The decommissioning ceremony took place yesterday at Devonport Naval Base, which hosted the Trafalgar-class submarines for much of their operational life. The event was attended by the former crews of both HMS Triumph and HMS Talent, along with veterans from the Submarine Service who gathered for the occasion.
As part of the ceremony, the Royal Navy held a formal parade featuring personnel from both HMS Triumph and HMS Talent. Attendees included the submarine’s sponsor, Lady Hamilton, and Second World War veteran John Harlow—who served aboard submarines during his naval career—who was honored as a guest of distinction. Captain Dave Burrell, a longtime officer with experience aboard the Trafalgar-class, also attended and stated: “They are the last warriors of the Cold War, even though the Cold War never really ended. We are still playing our dangerous game.”
HMS Triumph entered service in 1991, making it the final submarine of its class to be commissioned. The Trafalgar class included a total of seven boats: HMS Trafalgar, HMS Turbulent, HMS Tireless, HMS Torbay, HMS Trenchant, HMS Talent, and HMS Triumph. Originally designed to counter the threat posed by Soviet submarines, the Trafalgar-class subs were later adapted for intelligence-gathering and precision strike missions in the post-Cold War era. HMS Triumph notably launched Tomahawk missiles during operations in Afghanistan and Libya in 2001 and 2011, respectively.
The Royal Navy has indicated that the retired Trafalgar-class will be succeeded by the Astute-class submarines, which have been under construction since 2009. HMS Talent will soon be replaced by HMS Agamemnon, currently under construction at the Barrow shipyard, while HMS Triumph will be succeeded by the future HMS Achilles, expected to enter service later this decade.
Finally, the Royal Navy now faces a major challenge: dismantling the growing number of decommissioned nuclear submarines. In early June, the Royal Navy awarded a £114 million contract to British company Babcock to dismantle the retired HMS Swiftsure, marking the first such agreement signed in more than 20 years. These complex and costly efforts also involve recovering as many reusable components as possible from the retired vessels, in addition to managing the nuclear waste generated by their reactors.
Image credits: Royal Navy
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