The Submarine Heritage Centre - Vanguard Class

Sponsorship Comments

Furness Plastics Ltd are most pleased to sponsor this painting in celebration of the involvement of the people in Furness area in the development and build of this class of vessel and the direct involvement of Furness Plastics, with the Shipyard, in facets of the build programme.

Vanguard Technical Facts:

- Builder: Vickers Armstrong Limited - Barrow-in-Furness
- Pennant No: S28
- Yard Number: 1109
- Laid Down: 3rd September 1986
- Rolled Out: 4th March 1992
- Commissioned: 14th August 1993
- Displacement: 15,000 tons when submerged
- Dimensions (in feet): Length 491.9 feet, Breadth 42 feet, Draught 39 feet 3 inches
- Propulsion: Single Pressurised Water Nuclear Reactor (PWR2). Two Steam Turbines geared to a single shaft. 27,500 shp. Diesel Electric Emergency Propulsion 2,700bhp.
- Speed: Surface: 20 knots. Submerged: 25 + knots.
- Endurance: Unlimited.
- Armaments: 16 D5 Trident II SLBM with a range of 7,5000 miles. 4 x 21 inch Torpedo Tubes capable of firing Marconi Spearfish torpedoes.
- Complement: 135. Two crews per boat.

Historical Facts:

In 1980, the M.O.D. (Navy), announced that it would build four submarines to be armed with the Trident S.L.B.M., to replace the ageing Resolution Class Polaris submarines.

A class of four ballistic missile submarines, Vanguard (S.28), Victorious (S.29), Vigilant (S.30) and Vengeance (S.31) were ordered,all to be built by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Limited of Barrow-in-Furness. A deal was struck with the U.S. Department of Defence, whereby the Royal Navy would lease the missiles and the Fire Control Systems, and have use of the U.S. Navy's facilities at Kings Bay, Georgia to support the system - a very big saving.

Vanguard was the first nuclear submarine to have the new PWR 2 Reactor fitted. The Trident submarines are the largest submarines ever to be built for the Royal Navy.

26th June 1994 Vanguard launched her first Trident missile off Cape Canaveral Florida.

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