Trafalgar-class: Difference between revisions

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The '''Trafalgar-class''' is a type of British [[Submarine#Attack submarine|tactical submarine]], the first of which, ''[[HMS Trafalgar S107|HMS Trafalgar]]'', entered service in 1983. There are currently 6 Trafalgar-class submarines in service with the [[Royal Navy]].
The '''Trafalgar-class''' is a type of British [[Submarine#Attack submarine|tactical submarine]], the first of which, ''[[HMS Trafalgar S107|HMS Trafalgar]]'', entered service in 1983. There are currently 7 Trafalgar-class submarines in service with the [[Royal Navy]].


All 7 Trafalgar-class submarines were built by [[Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering]] in [[Barrow-in-Furness]]. ''[[HMS Turbulent S87|Turbulent]]'' was the second to enter service, in 1984, followed by ''[[HMS Tireless S88|Tireless]]'' in 1985, ''[[HMS Torbay|Torbay]]'' in 1987, ''[[HMS Trenchant|Trenchant]]'' in 1989, ''[[HMS Talent|Talent]]'' in 1990 and ''[[HMS Triumph|Triumph]]'' in 1991.<ref>Jane's Fighting Ships 2005-2006</ref> ''HMS Trafalgar'' was decommissioned in 2009, <ref name=NT> {{citation
All 7 Trafalgar-class submarines were built by [[Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering]] in [[Barrow-in-Furness]]. ''[[HMS Turbulent S87|Turbulent]]'' was the second to enter service, in 1984, followed by ''[[HMS Tireless S88|Tireless]]'' in 1985, ''[[HMS Torbay|Torbay]]'' in 1987, ''[[HMS Trenchant|Trenchant]]'' in 1989, ''[[HMS Talent|Talent]]'' in 1990 and ''[[HMS Triumph|Triumph]]'' in 1991.<ref>Jane's Fighting Ships 2005/06</ref>
| url = http://www.naval-technology.com/projects/trafalgarclass/
| title = Trafalgar Class Attack Submarines, United Kingdom
| journal = Naval Technology}}</ref> to be the first vessel replaced by the [[Astute-class]]. Four Trafalgars, however, will have a final systems upgrade, bringing many of their electronics to the Astute standard. <ref>{{citation
| title = Trafalgar Update Project
| url = http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/operations-and-support/submarine-service/future-submarines/trafalgar-update-project/
| publisher = Royal Navy}}</ref>
 
The Trafalgar-class is a development of the [[Swiftsure-class]] and despite being slightly longer is internally almost identical in design.<ref>{{citation
| url = http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/operations-and-support/submarine-service/fleet-submarines-ssn/
| publisher = [[Royal Navy]]
| title = Fleet Submarines (SSN)}}</ref>
 
==Design==
All submarines face design tradeoffs. In Trafalgars, and the preceding [[Swiftsure-class]], for a variety of reasons, small size was important. In the Cold War, this could limit the submarine's habitability, and other factors limiting it to European [[anti-submarine warfare]] &mdash; but that was precisely the NATO mission of Britain. Today, however, there is a role for small submarines in [[littoral warfare]], in that they can operate in more confined waters than a submarine optimized for [[blue water]] operations.
 
As demonstrated in the [[Falklands War]], a submarine, moving ahead of the main task force, has a key mission of [[sea denial]]. The Royal Navy describes this submarine mission as <blockquote>The SSN is used to great effect when the submarine is deployed in advance of friendly forces in order to reduce the flexibility of an opposition force by denying the use of an area or region. This is known as regional sea denial. <ref>{{citation
| url = http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/operations-and-support/submarine-service/fleet-submarines-ssn/
| publisher = [[Royal Navy]]
| title = Fleet Submarines (SSN)}}</ref></blockquote>
 
Small submarines also have advantages for intelligence collection, both strategic and tactical, and for surveillance and reconnaissance as part of combined operations.
 
The ''[[Astute-class]]'', which will replace both the Trafalgars and [[Swiftsure-class]]es, has grown in size, with sensors and silencing mentioned as factors. Greater automation, however, will allow a smaller crew, and thus greater habitability and range. <ref>{{citation
| url = http://www.defenceforum.in/forum/european-union-defence-policies/9070.htm
| journal = Defence Forum of India
| title = UK Navy's Astute, Dauntless vessels begin sea trials
| date = 22 March 2010}}</ref> Still, the Astutes were originally called Trafalgar Batch 2, possibly a political compromise such as calling earlier Royal Navy aircraft carriers "through-deck cruisers" since "carrier" was equated to "high cost".  The Astute designation came into use when images of the design showed a radically different look in the bow design.


==Specifications==
==Specifications==
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*Speed (dived): 32 knots
*Speed (dived): 32 knots
*Crew: 130
*Crew: 130
*Armament: Five 533mm torpedo tubes, compatible with [[BGM-109 Tomahawk]] cruise missiles and [[Spearfish torpedo]]es
 
*Defensive
**Anechoic tiles covering the hull
**SSE Mk 8 launchers for Type 2066 and Type 2071 torpedo decoys
**Acoustic countermeasures system
*Sensors<ref name=NT/>
**Type 2076 Batch 4 or 5 passive/active search and attack sonar suite with bow, active intercept, flank and towed array sonars.
**Eddystone [[electronic support]]/[[signals intelligence]] system
==References==
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
{{reflist}}

Revision as of 12:04, 3 March 2024

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The Trafalgar-class is a type of British tactical submarine, the first of which, HMS Trafalgar, entered service in 1983. There are currently 7 Trafalgar-class submarines in service with the Royal Navy.

All 7 Trafalgar-class submarines were built by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering in Barrow-in-Furness. Turbulent was the second to enter service, in 1984, followed by Tireless in 1985, Torbay in 1987, Trenchant in 1989, Talent in 1990 and Triumph in 1991.[1]

Specifications

  • Displacement: 4,740 tons (surfaced), 5,208 tons (dived)
  • Length: 85.4m
  • Beam: 9.8m
  • Draught: 9.5m
  • Speed (dived): 32 knots
  • Crew: 130

References

  1. ↑ Jane's Fighting Ships 2005/06
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