Churchill-class submarine
Churchill-class submarine HMS Conqueror
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Class overview | |
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Name | Churchill class |
Builders | Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd |
Operators | Royal Navy |
Preceded by | Valiant class |
Succeeded by | Swiftsure class |
In service | 1970–1992 |
Completed | 3 |
Retired | 3 |
Preserved | 1 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Submarine |
Displacement | 4,900 tonnes |
Length | 86.9 m (285 ft) |
Beam | 10.1 m (33 ft) |
Draught | 8.2 m (27 ft) |
Propulsion | One nuclear reactor, one shaft |
Speed | 28 knots (52 km/h) submerged |
Range | Unlimited, except by food supplies |
Complement | 103 |
Armament |
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The three Churchill class,[1] sometimes known as the Repeat Valiant-class submarines were nuclear-powered fleet submarines which served with the Royal Navy from the 1970s until the early 1990s. The Churchill class was based on the older Valiant class, but featured many internal improvements.
The lead vessel was named after the former Prime Minister and First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill. HMS Conqueror was the most famous of the class, sinking the Argentinian cruiser ARA General Belgrano during the 1982 Falklands War. As of 2022[update], this is the only instance of a nuclear-powered submarine of any nation sinking an enemy ship by torpedo.
Design
The Churchills carried a crew of 103 and had a full load
HMS Churchill evaluated both the American
In 1981 HMS Courageous became the first British submarine to carry the Sub-Harpoon missile. She was decommissioned in 1992 and is at Devonport Dockyard serving as a museum ship.
Construction Programme
Pennant | Name | (a) Hull builder (b) Main machinery manufacturers |
Ordered | Laid down | Launched | Accepted into service |
Commissioned | Decommissioned | Estimated building cost[2] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
S46 | Churchill | (a) Vickers Ltd, Shipbuilding Group, Barrow-in-Furness (b) Vickers Ltd, Engineering Group, Barrow-in-Furness (b) English Electric Co Ltd (turbines).[3] |
21 October 1965 [4] | 30 June 1967 [5] | 20 December 1968 [5] | July 1970 [3] | 15 July 1970 [5] | 28 February 1991 | £24,780,000 [3] |
S48 | Conqueror | (a) Cammell Laird & Co (Shipbuilders and Engineers) Ltd, Birkenhead (b) Vickers Ltd, Engineering Group, Barrow-in-Furness (b) English Electric Co Ltd (turbines).[6] |
9 August 1966 [4] | 5 December 1967 [5] | 28 August 1969 [5] | November 1971 [6] | 9 November 1971 [5] | 2 August 1990 | £29,319,000 [6] |
S50 | Courageous (ex-Superb)[5] |
(a) Vickers Ltd, Shipbuilding Group, Barrow-in-Furness (b) Vickers Ltd, Engineering Group, Barrow-in-Furness (b) English Electric Co Ltd (turbines).[6] |
1 March 1967 [4] | 15 June 1968 [5] | 7 March 1970 [5] | November 1971 [6] | 16 October 1971 [5] | 10 April 1992 | £24,858,000 [6] |
Service history
See also
Cited footnotes
- ISBN 0-7524-2781-4page 177.
- ^ "Unit cost, i.e. excluding cost of certain items (e.g. aircraft, First Outfits)." Text from Defences Estimates
- ^ a b c Defence Estimates, 1971–72, page XII-81, Table V: List and particulars of new ships which have been accepted or are expected to be accepted into HM service during the Financial Year ended 31st March 1971
- ^ ISBN 0-7106-0742-3page 547.
- ^ ISBN 0-85177-605-1page 530.
- ^ a b c d e f Defence Estimates, 1972–73, page XII-92, Table V: List and particulars of new ships which have been accepted or are expected to be accepted into HM service during the Financial Year ended 31st March 1971
- ISBN 0-7509-1711-3