Another ageing Royal Navy nuclear-armed submarine completes a 200-day patrol amid fears absence of replacements will make epic voyages ‘the new normal’
COMMENT. Doesn’t look as if the UK (or the USA) are going to have any decent nuclear submarines to spare for Australia.
Daily Mail, By BY MARK NICOL DEFENCE EDITOR, 3 October 2025
An ageing Royal Navy nuclear submarine has completed a 200-day patrol amid fears of shortages of alternative vessels.
The Vanguard class submarine was welcomed back to port with her hull covered in slime and barnacles.
The marine growth indicated how long the submarine – which carries the UK’s nuclear deterrent – had spent submerged.
Nuclear submarines remain undetected by spending the majority of their time on patrol at very slow speed. This is to minimise their noise signature.
Biofouling as it is also known, can also indicate a submarine has been operating in either shallower or warmer waters.
Nuclear submarine patrols are being extended as Navy chiefs await new vessels.
This submarine was understood to have spent 203 days at sea. Earlier this year another spent 204 days at sea.
While only last year another Vanguard-class submarine broke the 200 day barrier for the first time. At least ten patrols are understood to have exceeded five months.
The trend for extended patrols is dangerous according to Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the recently retired former Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS).
In his final speech he decried the decrepit state of the Royal Navy’s subsurface fleet at a time when the world is getting more dangerous.
In September Admiral Sir Tony said: ‘Our armed forces are not as strong as we would wish. There is something wrong when governments profess the nuclear deterrent at sea is our highest priority but our sailors are having to put to sea for extraordinarily long patrols in some of the most complex machines on the planet that are beyond their original design life.’……………………….
The oldest of the Vanguard class submarines first put to sea 33 years ago. The vessels have a recommended service life of 25 years.
The physical strain on the Vanguard class submarines is mirrored by the psychological effects on their crews of spending six months and longer at sea.
Each submarine has a crew of around 130 sailors and officers
Experts have also warned of the growing risk of a catastrophic accident as parts are being cannabalised from other submarines which are more than 30 years old…………………………….
The shortage of submarines is also compounded by the length of time it takes to conduct repairs.
The Vanguards will be replaced by Dreadnought submarines – but these are not expected to enter service before the early 2030s……………………… https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15159175/Another-ageing-Royal-Navy-nuclear-armed-submarine-completes-200-day-patrol-amid-fears-absence-replacements-make-epic-voyages-new-normal.html
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