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Faslane
His Majesty's Naval Base, Clyde (HMNB Clyde; also HMS ''Neptune''), primarily sited at Faslane on the Gare Loch, is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Devonport and HMNB Portsmouth). It is the navy's headquarters in Scotland and is best known as the home of Britain's nuclear weapons, in the form of nuclear submarines armed with Trident missiles. History Faslane was first constructed and used as a base in the Second World War. During the 1960s, the British Government began negotiating the Polaris Sales Agreement with the United States regarding the purchase of a Polaris missile system to fire British-built nuclear weapons from five specially constructed submarines. In the end, only four were constructed; , , and . These four submarines were permanently based at Faslane. Faslane itself was chosen to host these vessels at the height of the Cold War because of its geographic position, which forms a bastion on the relati ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
UK Trident Programme
Trident, also known as the Trident nuclear programme or Trident nuclear deterrent, covers the development, procurement and operation of nuclear weapons in the United Kingdom and their means of delivery. Its purpose as stated by the Ministry of Defence is to "deter the most extreme threats to our national security and way of life, which cannot be done by other means". Trident is an operational system of four s armed with Trident II D-5 ballistic missiles, able to deliver thermonuclear warheads from multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs). It is operated by the Royal Navy and based at Clyde Naval Base on the west coast of Scotland. At least one submarine is always on patrol to provide a continuous at-sea capability. The missiles are manufactured in the United States, while the warheads are British. The British government initially negotiated with the Carter administration for the purchase of the Trident I C-4 missile. In 1981, the Reagan administration an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom of England, English and Kingdom of Scotland, Scottish kings from the early Middle Ages, medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Kingdom of France, France. The modern Royal Navy traces its origins to the English Navy of the early 16th century; the oldest of the British Armed Forces, UK's armed services, it is consequently known as the Senior Service. From the early 18th century until the World War II, Second World War, it was the world's most powerful navy. The Royal Navy played a key part in establishing and defending the British Empire, and four Imperial fortress colonies and a string of imperial bases and coaling stations secured the Royal Navy's ability to assert naval superior ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Nuclear Weapons And The United Kingdom
In 1952, the United Kingdom became the third country (after the Nuclear weapons of the United States, United States and the Soviet atomic bomb project, Soviet Union) to develop and test nuclear weapons, and is one of the List of states with nuclear weapons#Recognized nuclear-weapon states, five nuclear-weapon states under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The UK initiated a nuclear weapons programme, codenamed Tube Alloys, during the Second World War. At the Quebec Conference, 1943, Quebec Conference in August 1943, it was British contribution to the Manhattan Project, merged with the American Manhattan Project. The British government considered nuclear weapons to be a joint discovery, but the American Atomic Energy Act of 1946 (McMahon Act) restricted other countries, including the UK, from access to information about nuclear weapons. Fearing the loss of Britain's great power status, the UK resumed its own project, now codenamed High Explosive Research. O ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
HMS Astute (S119)
HMS ''Astute'' is an operational Nuclear marine propulsion, nuclear-powered Attack submarine, attack submarine in the Royal Navy, the lead ship, lead boat of Astute-class submarine, her class. ''Astute'' is the second submarine of the Royal Navy to be named after the characteristic of shrewdness and discernment—the first was the World War II-era . She was the largest attack submarine in Royal Navy history when Ship commissioning, commissioned in 2010. Design Built as a successor to the , ''Astute'' is 50% larger than the T-boats but has a smaller crew. The 7,400-tonne ''Astute''s nuclear reactor will not need to be refuelled during the vessel's 25-year service. Since the submarine can purify water and air, she is able to circumnavigate the planet without resurfacing. The main limit is that the submarine can only carry three months' supply of food for 98 crew. ''Astute'' has stowage for 38 weapons and was expected to typically carry both Spearfish heavy torpedoes and Tom ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Gare Loch
The Gare Loch or Gareloch () is an open sea loch in Argyll and Bute in the west of Scotland, and it bears a similar name to the village of Gairloch in the north west Highlands. The loch is well used for sailing, recreational boating, list of water sports, water sports and sea fishing, fishing. Harbor seal, Harbour and grey seals are often seen in the Gare Loch along with pods of porpoise. Bottle Nose whales were photographed in September 2020. The loch also has been used since the early 20th century for naval training and as a base for the United Kingdom's submarine based nuclear weapons system. Geography A sea loch aligned north–south, Gare Loch is long with an average width of . At its southern end it opens into the Firth of Clyde through the Rhu narrows. The village of Rosneath lies on the western shore just north of Rosneath Point and gives the name Rosneath Peninsula to the whole body of land separating the Gare Loch from Loch Long to the west. The town of Helensburg ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
10th Submarine Squadron (United Kingdom)
The 10th Submarine Squadron was an administrative unit of the Royal Navy. History The squadron was formed at HMNB Clyde, Faslane, Scotland, in the 1960s to direct the Resolution-class submarines equipped with Polaris missiles that formed part of the United Kingdom's strategic nuclear deterrent. The four Resolution-class submarines would carry out a total of 229 operational patrols during their time in service with the squadron. The squadron would later direct the Vanguard-class submarine The ''Vanguard'' class is a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) in service with the Royal Navy. The class was introduced in 1994 as part of the Trident nuclear programme, and comprises four vessels: , , and , built ...s equipped with Trident missiles. In October 1993 the 3rd and 10th Squadrons at Faslane amalgamated into a new 1st Submarine Squadron (Watson). In February 2002 all existing squadrons were disbanded and replaced by three flotillas at the bas ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Vanguard-class Submarine
The ''Vanguard'' class is a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) in service with the Royal Navy. The class was introduced in 1994 as part of the Trident nuclear programme, and comprises four vessels: , , and , built between 1986 and 1999 at Barrow-in-Furness by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering, now owned by BAE Systems.''Jane's Fighting Ships, 2004–2005''. Jane's Information Group Limited. p. 794. . All four boats are based at HM Naval Base Clyde (HMS ''Neptune''), west of Glasgow, Scotland. Since the decommissioning of the Royal Air Force WE.177 free-fall thermonuclear weapons during March 1998, the four ''Vanguard'' submarines are the sole platforms for the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Firth Of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde, is the estuary of the River Clyde, on the west coast of Scotland. The Firth has some of the deepest coastal waters of the British Isles. The Firth is sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre, Kintyre Peninsula. The Firth lies between West Dunbartonshire in the north, Argyll and Bute in the west and Inverclyde, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire in the east. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran. The Kyles of Bute separates the Isle of Bute from the Cowal, Cowal Peninsula. The Sound of Bute separates the islands of Bute and Arran. The Highland Boundary Fault crosses the Firth. The Firth also played a vital military role during World War II. The Firth is sometimes called the Clyde Waters or Clyde Sea, and is customarily considered to be part of the Irish Sea. Geography At the north of the Firth, Loch Long and the Gare Loch join the Firth; these lochs are separated by the Rosneat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
HMS Ambush (S120)
HMS ''Ambush'' is an ''Astute''-class nuclear-powered attack submarine of the Royal Navy, the second boat of her class. ''Ambush'' is the third vessel, and the second submarine, to bear the name in Royal Naval service. She was ordered in 1997, laid down in 2003 and commissioned in 2013. Design Propulsion ''Ambushs nuclear reactor will not need to be refuelled during the boat's 25-year service. Since the submarine can purify water and air, she will be able to circumnavigate the planet without resurfacing. The main limit is that the submarine will only be able to carry three months' supply of food for 98 officers and ratings. Weapons ''Ambush'' has provision for up-to 38 weapons in six torpedo tubes. The submarine is capable of using Tomahawk Block IV land-attack missiles with a range of and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes. Construction and commissioning ''Ambush'' was ordered from GEC's Marconi Marine (now BAE Systems Submarine Solutions) on 17 March 1997. She was laid d ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Argyll And Bute
Argyll and Bute (; , ) is one of 32 unitary authority, unitary council areas of Scotland, council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. The current lord-lieutenant for Argyll and Bute is Jane Margaret MacLeod (14 July 2020). The administrative centre for the council area is in Lochgilphead at Kilmory Castle, a 19th-century Gothic Revival building and estate. The current council leader is Councillor Jim Lynch. Argyll and Bute covers the second-largest administrative area of any Scottish council. The council area adjoins those of Highland (council area), Highland, Perth and Kinross, Stirling (council area), Stirling and West Dunbartonshire. History The County of County of Bute, Bute and the County of Argyll were two of the shires of Scotland, historic counties of Scotland. They were both "''shires''" (context; the area controlled by a sheriff principal, sheriff) in the Middle Ages. From 1890 until 1975 both counties had individual separate ele ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Holy Loch
The Holy Loch () is a sea loch, part of the Firth of Clyde, in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The "Holy Loch" name is believed to date from the 6th century, when Saint Munn landed there after leaving Ireland. Kilmun Parish Church and Argyll Mausoleum is said to stand where Saint Munn's church was once located. Alexander Robertson & Sons, Robertson's Yard at Sandbank, Argyll and Bute, Sandbank, a village on the loch, was a major wooden boat building company in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. During World War II, the loch was used as a British Royal Navy submarine base. From 1961 to 1992, it was used as a United States Navy ballistic missile submarine base. In 1992, the Holy Loch base was deemed unnecessary following the demise of the Soviet Union and subsequently closed. Geography Open on the Firth of Clyde at its eastern end, the loch is approximately wide and between long, varying with the tide. Dunoon on the Cowal peninsula lies on the shores of the Clyde just to the s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Polaris Missile
The UGM-27 Polaris missile was a two-stage solid-fuel rocket, solid-fueled nuclear warhead, nuclear-armed submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). As the United States Navy's first SLBM, it served from 1961 to 1980. In the mid-1950s the Navy was involved in the PGM-19 Jupiter, Jupiter missile project with the U.S. Army, and had influenced the design by making it squat so it would fit in submarines. However, they had concerns about the use of liquid fuel rockets on board ships, and some consideration was given to a solid fuel rocket, solid fuel version, Jupiter S. In 1956, during an anti-submarine study known as Project Nobska, Edward Teller suggested that very small hydrogen bomb warheads were possible. A crash program to develop a missile suitable for carrying such warheads began as Polaris, launching its first shot less than four years later, in February 1960. As the Polaris missile was fired underwater from a moving platform, it was essentially invulnerable to counterattack ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
