Swiftsure Class

This is the older of the two classes of Fleet submarines, the more recent Trafalgar class is the other.

This class first entered service in 1973 although the later boats did not enter until the 1980s. They are all nuclear attack submarines (SSN) who may operate either individually or in support of a fleet.

Three of this class of vessels (HM/S Superb, Spartan and Splendid) were sent to the Falkland's war although they were not responsible for the sinking of the General Belgrano which was accomplished by then Commander Wreford-Brown in HM/S Conqueror, another SSN although of the earlier Valiant class SSN. It is interesting to note that the submarines were not under the command of Admiral Woodward, but operated under the command of FOSM and C-in-C, Fleet at HMS Northwood.

Some argue that this was a mistake and that all vessels should be under the control of the Task Group commander, but there are advantages in having the SSNs operating under a different commander. However, where command is split, there is an increased danger that there would be a "blue-on-blue" ("friendly fire") incident. This was perhaps not as dangerous in the Falklands war where Argentina had a limited number of much-older submarines, but in modern conflicts where there could be equivalent SSNs in the same area, there must be a real danger that ASW vessels operating under the surface flag officer may attack a "friendly" submarine. That said, even if they operated under the same commander, such risks remain because the very role of a submarine is to remain silent and invisible: thus, the amount of communication as to exact positioning etc. would be limited.

Although this class of vessels is now quite old, several refits have extended their operational life, and they are still considered to be very capable vessels, although whether this is for a hunter-killer (SSN to SSN) role or as an ASV or land-attack role, is open to much speculation. Certainly this class of vessels have had a land-attack role thrust upon them by the retro-fitting of TLAM.

In 1999, HM/S Splendid became the first Royal Navy submarine, and indeed the first non-American warship, to be fitted with the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile. (TLAM). In doing this HM/S Splendid joined the (small) list of ships who are the subject of documentaries, when the BBC filmed a series on HM/S Splendid leading up to the time of the firing of the first Tomahawk missile.

The addition of TLAM to the fleet is of great significance. TLAM is a very powerful and modern weapon which enables land-targets to be attacked from a considerable distance away. TLAM is often referred to as one of the "surgical" weapons although this is to some degree a contradiction in terms: no weapon is a "surgical weapon", any weapon has the potential to cause huge collateral damage. It is easy to talk about the weapon hitting a target within a few metres, but when one takes into account the blast-damage that such a strike entails, it does not appear so-clinical. This is not to say that modern weapons do not minimise collateral damage, because clearly they do, but the media tend to over-glamorise such weapons and make people forget that war is a nasty business.

HM/S Splendid was also the first Royal Navy submarine to fire a TLAM in anger, when in 1999 she was called to the gulf to support UN/NATO operations against Iraq when the latter broke the conditions of its previous surrender.

The SSN has four primary roles: ASW has been discussed briefly, ASV warfare is dealt with via either the vessel's torpedoes or the sub-harpoon missile, which is a very capable weapon. Land Attack warfare was discussed above, which leaves its final role: that of a minelayer.

The Royal Navy does not have any dedicated minelayers, although its fleet submarines and its Castle-class offshore patrol vessels are capable of deploying them. To some degree a submarine is one of the ideal vessels to deploy mines as mines are generally used at the beginning of a conflict. A submarine would be able to silently approach the area to be mined, release its weapons and escape. The alternative to using an SSN would be to use an aircraft. There is still a need for mines in modern naval warfare: deploying mines, (and clearing them depending which side you are on) since mines can be vital to control the sea, which can have an impact on the rest of the conflict. Mines may prevent enemy vessels, for example, coming to attack the fleet.

The SSN is one of the more valuable vessels in the Royal Navy fleet, and the Swiftsure class is still a formidable vessel. However, the class is starting to show its age and there would be disadvantages in sending a vessel as old as a Swiftsure class against certain countries who have sophisticated ASW systems. However the number of potentially hostile countries with such equipment is relatively small. The class will be replaced over the next decade by the Astute class SSN.