Earlier today, the Royal Navy announced that the Vanguard-class nuclear ballistic missile submarine HMS Victorious has arrived at the refit complex at Devonport Naval Base, where it will undergo a regeneration program involving an investment of £560 million. The work will be carried out specifically in Dock 9 of the facility, which has recently undergone a significant series of upgrades that have greatly improved its infrastructure.
According to the official statement, the newly arrived submarine is currently undergoing what is referred to as a Deep Maintenance Period—an extensive overhaul intended to keep it operational and ready to continue contributing to the UK’s nuclear deterrent through the next decade. This includes inspection and upgrading of a wide array of systems, including its Rolls-Royce nuclear reactor, electrical generation system, sonar, communications, and missile launch systems, among other components.
For the Royal Navy, this is a highly significant project—not only due to the substantial investment—but also because it currently has only three Vanguard-class submarines available to maintain its nuclear deterrent until the new class is completed. In the words of Captain Ben Stafford, Superintendent of Submarines: “Everyone in the Defence Nuclear Enterprise recognises the importance of this maintenance period to the UK’s national security and that is why our work to ensure HMS Victorious returns to operations as soon as possible matters“.
It’s also worth recalling that this project represents an important opportunity for the Royal Navy to show it has learned from the experience with HMS Vanguard, whose overhaul took more than seven years and included a precautionary nuclear refuelling—far exceeding initial expectations. Following the completion of that process, the service worked to improve procedures aimed at reducing both timelines and associated costs, as well as contractor oversight. In this case, the primary contractor will be Babcock.
Finally, while the Royal Navy has chosen to invest in the upkeep of its Vanguard-class submarines, the process of building their replacement is already underway: the future Dreadnought-class. As reported last March, UK-based company BAE Systems held the keel-laying ceremony for the first unit at its Barrow shipyard, with the hope of delivering it to the Royal Navy in the early 2030s. As previously stated, a total of four submarines are expected to be built, each with a projected service life of more than 30 years.
Cover image: Royal Navy
You may also like: A British Type 45 destroyer intercepted a supersonic missile for the first time using one of its modified Aster 30 anti-air missiles
