NAVYPEDIA
7600 / 8500 109.7 pp 129.5 oa 10.1 9.10 1 2 sets English Electric geared steam turbines, Rolls-Royce PWR1 nuclear reactor 15000 20 / 25 nuclear practically unlimited 16 Polaris A-3 SLBM (16 UGM-27C), 6 - 533 TT (bow) 143 At the 1962 Nassau Conference, the momentous decision was taken to transfer responsibility for the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent from the RAF to the RN, following the cancellation of the airborne Skybolt system. Instead the RN was to build five nuclear ballistic missile sub-names (SSBNs) based broadly on the missile compartment of the US Navy's Lafayette class, with British equipment and machinery, but armed with missiles, tubes and fire control systems supplied from the United States. 1982, Renown; 1984, Resolution; 1986, Repulse; 1988, Revenge: - 16 Polaris A-3 SLBM, type 1003 radar, type 2023 sonar, UAB/UAC ECM suite, DCB CCS; + 16 Polaris A-3TK SLBM (Chevaline warhead), type 1006(1) radar, type 2019 PARIS, type 2047 sonars, UAL(1) ECM suite, DCB/DCG CCS No significant events.
Resolution 1978
Name
No
Yard No
Builder
Laid down
Launched
Comp
Fate
Resolution
S22
Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow
26.2.1964
15.9.1966
2.10.1967
for disposal 10.1994
Repulse
S23
Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow
12.3.1965
4.11.1967
28.9.1968
for disposal 8.1996
Renown
S26
Cammell Laird, Birkenhead
25.6.1964
25.2.1967
15.11.1968
for disposal 2.1996
Revenge
S27
Cammell Laird, Birkenhead
19.5.1965
15.3.1968
4.12.1969
for disposal 5.1995
Displacement standard, t
Displacement normal, t Length, m Breadth, m Draught, m No of shafts Machinery Power, h. p. Max speed, kts Fuel, t Endurance, nm(kts) Armament Electronic equipment type 1003 radar, type 2001, type 2007, type 2023 sonars, UAB/UAC ECM suite, DCB CCS
Complement Diving depth operational, m 230
Renown 1969" />
Renown 1969
Resolution 1990" />
Resolution 1990
Resolution 1979" />
Resolution 1979
Resolution 1978 " />
Resolution 1978
A special Polaris Executive was set up to supervise the building of the boats and the creation of training and support facilities, and so successful was the collaboration between the administrative and technical sides that the first boat, Resolution, went on patrol as planned in 1968. With Dreadnought it was the only British post-1945 defence programme to remain within its financial budget. Only one problem was encountered: the figure of five boats was arrived at after a careful study of refit schedules, and when the new Labour Defence Minister, Denis Healey, cancelled the order for the fifth boat (named Ramillies) as a gesture of appeasement, it became difficult to guarantee that one Polaris 'bomber' would remain on patrol at all times. Up to 1992, however, there had officially been no gap in the patrol.
Apart from the use of British equipment and design features from the Valiant class, the main departure from the Lafayette class was the rejection of diving planes on the fin. Although these are standard in USN submarines, British designers maintain that their advantages of better slow-speed control do not outweigh their disadvantages.