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37-552: The JRRF was an initiative in the 1998 Strategic Defence Review . An initial rapid reaction capability was declared in April 1999 and was fully operational in 2001. It was originally intended that JRRF would be able to mount up to two simultaneous operations of up to 15,000 personnel each. A major military exercise called Saif Sareea II was held in Oman in September 2001 to test the deployment of

74-638: A bigger (pre- Options for Change ) force as part of NATO 's collective defence should a major strategic threat re-emerge. The next wholesale review of the British Armed Forces was the Strategic Defence and Security Review of 2010 . Following the September 11th attacks on New York and Washington the Secretary of State for Defence, Geoff Hoon announced that work would be undertaken on a New Chapter to

111-548: A rapid deployment capability, although there are no permanently assigned forces. In 2012, proposals were unveiled for the Joint Expeditionary Force , which can be deployed as an all-British force, or preferably in combination with other European allies. The Joint Rapid Reaction Force can be deployed in three phases. The first element is known as the Spearhead Forces that are kept at a high state of readiness. This

148-621: A similar basis as the 1963 Polaris Sales Agreement. However, following the acceleration of the US UGM-133 Trident II missiles, Thatcher wrote to US President Ronald Reagan in 1982 requesting the United Kingdom be allowed to procure the improved system instead. An agreement was made in March 1982 between the two countries, and under the agreement, Britain made a 5% research and development contribution. The Vanguard class were designed in

185-537: Is a multi-mode, multi-frequency system, which incorporates the 2046, 2043 and 2082 sonars. The Type 2043 is a hull-mounted active/passive search sonar, the Type 2082 a passive intercept and ranging sonar, and the Type 2046 a towed array sonar operating at very low frequency providing a passive search capability. The fleet is in the process of having the sonars refitted to include open-architecture processing using commercial off-the-shelf technology. Navigational search capability

222-547: Is composed of: Following that, if required, is the First Echelon , composed of In the final phase, a Second Echelon may be deployed, with further major naval units and ground forces from 1st (UK) Armoured Division and 3rd (UK) Mechanised Division . All of these elements can be supported by helicopters, transport and combat aircraft as required. Elements of the Joint Rapid Reaction Force were activated for

259-554: Is provided by a Type 1007 I-band navigation radar . They will also be fitted with the new Common Combat System. Two periscopes are carried, a CK51 search model and a CH91 attack model. Both have TV and thermal imaging cameras in addition to conventional optics. A specialised Submarine Command System (SMCS) was originally developed for the Vanguard boats and was later used on the Trafalgar class . A new pressurised water reactor ,

296-657: The Astute -class nuclear-powered fleet submarines of the Royal Navy. A vote on the Trident renewal programme was held in the House of Commons on 18 July 2016, and determined that the UK should proceed with construction of the next generation of submarines. The motion passed with a significant majority of 472 MPs voting in favour and 117 against. The MoD put the cost of building, testing and commissioning

333-669: The British military intervention in the Sierra Leone Civil War in May to September 2000. The Spearhead Land Element consisted of the standby special forces squadron and 1 PARA plus a single rifle company of 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment , both part of 16 Air Assault Brigade. Also deployed was an air element provided by the Joint Helicopter Command , consisting of four RAF CH-47 Chinooks which flew direct to Sierra Leone from

370-669: The Resolution -class submarines and their Polaris missiles, both of which would be approaching the end of their service lives within little over a decade. On 24 January 1980, the House of Commons backed government policy, by 308 votes to 52, to retain an independent nuclear deterrent. Options that were examined included: A European solution and the US UGM-73 Poseidon were also briefly considered, but ultimately rejected, primarily on capability, cost and uncertainty grounds. The clear favourite

407-474: The Rolls-Royce PWR 2 , was designed for the Vanguard class. The PWR 2 has double the service life of previous models, and it is estimated that a Vanguard -class submarine could circumnavigate the world 40 times without refuelling. Furthermore, during their long-overhaul refit periods, a 'Core H' reactor is fitted to each of the boats, ensuring that none of the submarines will require further re-fuelling for

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444-554: The Spearfish heavyweight torpedo , allowing them to engage submerged or surface targets at ranges up to 65 kilometres (40 mi; 35 nmi). Two SSE Mark 10 launchers are also fitted, allowing the boats to deploy Type 2066 and Type 2071 decoys, and a UAP Mark 3 electronic support measures (ESM) intercept system is carried. The submarines carry the Thales Underwater Systems Type 2054 composite sonar . The Type 2054

481-702: The War in Afghanistan . Strategic Defence Review The Strategic Defence Review ( SDR ) was a British policy document produced in July 1998 by the Labour Government that had gained power a year previously. Then Secretary of State for Defence , George Robertson , set out the initial defence policy of the new government, with a series of key decisions designed to enhance the United Kingdom 's armed forces. Two of

518-490: The 2060s. The Vanguard -class submarines are equipped with 16 ballistic missile tubes. However, as of the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review , the Royal Navy loads only eight of the missile tubes with the Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missiles, each armed with up to eight nuclear warheads. In addition to the missile tubes, the submarines are fitted with four 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes and carry

555-586: The JRRF. In the event of the JRRF being activated, the force commander was the Chief of the Joint Rapid Reaction Force (CJRRFO) who was responsible to the Chief of Joint Operations (CJO) at the Permanent Joint Headquarters at Northwood . A Joint Task Force HQ (JTFHQ) would have accompanied the force to provide local command, which was maintained at 48 hours' notice to move. Until deployed, operational control of

592-536: The Strategic Defence Review. This reviewed again the UK's defence posture and plans to ensure that the country possessed the right capabilities and the right forces to meet the additional challenges faced after 9/11. The review concluded; Vanguard-class submarine The Vanguard class is a class of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) in service with the Royal Navy . The class

629-533: The UGM-133 Trident II missiles. As such, the missile compartment is based on the same system used on the American Ohio class , which is also equipped with the UGM-133 Trident II. This requirement led to the Vanguard -class design being significantly larger than the previous Polaris-equipped Resolution class, and at nearly 16,000 tonnes they are the largest submarines ever built for the Royal Navy. Due to

666-410: The UK's Atomic Weapons Establishment . The boats are capable of deploying with a maximum of 192 independently targetable warheads, or MIRVs , with immediate readiness to fire. However, as a result of a decision taken by the 1998 Strategic Defence Review this was reduced to 48 warheads with a readiness to fire reduced 'to days rather than minutes'. Furthermore, the total number of warheads maintained by

703-513: The UK. A Royal Navy Carrier Group led by HMS Illustrious and an Amphibious Task Group led by HMS  Ocean were also deployed. Elements of 16 Air Assault Brigade were deployed to the Republic of Macedonia as a spearhead for Operation Essential Harvest in August 2001, a NATO operation in support of a ceasefire ending the insurgency . The brigade also formed the United Kingdom's first response to

740-427: The United Kingdom was reduced to approximately 200, with a total of 58 Trident missiles. The 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review reduced this number further and the submarines will put to sea in future with a reduced total of 40 warheads and a reduced missile load of 8 (from a maximum possible 16). The number of operationally available nuclear warheads is to be reduced 'from fewer than 160 to no more than 120 and

777-549: The ability to mount a second substantial deployment - which might involve a combat brigade and appropriate naval and air forces - if this were made necessary by a second crisis (as in Operation Veritas in Afghanistan ). It would not, however, expect both deployments to involve warfighting or to maintain them simultaneously for longer than six months. The Armed Forces must also retain the ability, at much longer notice, to rebuild

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814-515: The decommissioning of the Royal Air Force WE.177 free-fall thermonuclear weapons during March 1998, the four Vanguard submarines are the sole platforms for the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons . Each submarine is armed with up to 16 UGM-133 Trident II missiles . The class is scheduled to be replaced starting in the early 2030s with the Dreadnought -class submarine. Beginning in

851-460: The early 1980s by the Ministry of Defence, acting in one of its last Royal Navy warship design authority roles. The guidance drawings were then supplied for detailed design development by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering (VSEL) based at Barrow-in-Furness , now BAE Systems Maritime – Submarines . They were designed from the outset as nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, able to accommodate

888-407: The initial assessment phase for the construction of a new class of four submarines, paving the way for the ordering of the first long-lead items and preparations for the main build to begin in the future. This new class of submarine, now known as the Dreadnought class , will retain the current Trident II missiles, and will incorporate a new 'PWR3' nuclear reactor as well as technology developed for

925-503: The keel of the first boat, HMS Vanguard , on 3 September 1986 at the Devonshire Dock Hall. Vanguard was launched in 1992 and commissioned in 1993. The year 1992 saw a debate over whether the fourth vessel, Vengeance , should be cancelled; however, the Ministry of Defence ultimately ordered it in July 1992 and it was commissioned in 1999. The Vanguard class had an originally intended service life of 25 years. This would put

962-840: The large size of the Vanguard -class, the Devonshire Dock Hall in Barrow-in-Furness was built between 1982 and 1986 specifically for the construction of the boats. Beginning in 1985, both HMNB Clyde and the Royal Naval Armaments Depot Coulport at Faslane underwent extensive redevelopment in preparation for the Vanguard class submarines and Trident II missiles. Rosyth dockyard also underwent significant redevelopment. The work included enhanced "handling, storage, armament processing, berthing, docking, engineering, training and refitting facilities" at an estimates cost of £550 million. Prime Minister Thatcher laid

999-579: The largest defence procurement projects were excluded from the 1998 SDR, the Vanguard -class Trident submarines and the Eurofighter . However the Trident system was essential to maintaining a credible nuclear deterrent, a policy adopted by Labour, and was already nearing completion. Likewise the Eurofighter was nearing production and withdrawal would lead to loss of considerable investment and severe penalties from

1036-505: The late 1960s, the United Kingdom operated four Resolution -class submarines , each armed with sixteen US-built UGM-27 Polaris missiles . The Polaris missile was supplied to Britain following the terms of the 1963 Polaris Sales Agreement . This nuclear deterrent system was known as the UK Polaris programme . In the early 1980s the British government began studies examining options for replacing

1073-467: The number of nuclear warheads would be cut by 20% to 160. On 23 September 2009, then Prime Minister Gordon Brown confirmed that this reduction to three submarines was still under consideration. In February 2011, the Defence Secretary Liam Fox stated that four submarines would be needed if the UK was to retain a credible nuclear deterrent. On 18 May 2011 the British government approved

1110-571: The partner nations. Its overall strategic conclusions were that the British Armed Forces should be able to respond to a major international crisis which might require a military effort and combat operations of a similar scale and duration to Operation Granby during the Gulf War . It also should be able to undertake a more extended overseas deployment on a lesser scale (as in Bosnia ) while retaining

1147-431: The replacement vessels at £31 billion (plus a contingency fund of £10 billion) over 35 years, or about 0.2 per cent of government spending, or 6 per cent of defence spending, every year. It is expected the new fleet of submarines will come into operation starting 2028 at the earliest and certainly by the 2030s. The Dreadnought class will extend the life of the Trident programme until at least

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1184-517: The rest of their service lives. The reactor drives two GEC steam turbines linked to a single shaft pump jet propulsor, giving the submarines a maximum submerged speed of over 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph). Auxiliary power is provided by a pair of 6 MW steam-turbine generators supplied by WH Allen, (later known as NEI Allen, Allen Power & Rolls-Royce), and two 905 kWb Paxman diesel generators for provision of backup power supply. British nuclear weapons are designed and developed by

1221-482: The retirement dates for the class at 2018, 2020, 2021, 2024. On 4 December 2006, then Prime Minister Tony Blair revealed plans to spend up to £20 billion on a new generation of ballistic missile submarines to replace the Vanguard class. In order to reduce costs and show Britain's commitment to the Non-Proliferation Treaty , Blair suggested that submarine numbers could be cut from four to three, while

1258-402: The total UK nuclear weapon stockpile will number no more than 180. On 16 March 2021 Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled his government's 10-year plan to boost international trade and deploy soft power around the world with an aspiration of creating a “Global Britain”. In a document called Global Britain in a competitive age , this plan raised the cap on the number of nuclear warheads aboard

1295-577: The various units was the responsibility of the single-service Commanders-in-Chief. Because of the United Kingdom's simultaneous commitments to operations in the War in Afghanistan from 2001 and the 2003 invasion of Iraq , there were insufficient uncommitted forces to support the JRRF. In 2010, the Lancaster House Treaties gave rise to the Anglo-French Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF), which restored

1332-456: Was introduced in 1994 as part of the Trident nuclear programme , and comprises four vessels: Vanguard , Victorious , Vigilant and Vengeance , built between 1986 and 1999 at Barrow-in-Furness by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering , now owned by BAE Systems . All four boats are based at HM Naval Base Clyde (HMS Neptune ) , 40 km (25 mi) west of Glasgow , Scotland. Since

1369-527: Was the UGM-96 Trident I , which as well as being a cost-effective solution – given the US would also operate the missile in vast numbers – also delivered the overall best long-term capability insurances against Soviet advancements in ballistic missile defence . Subsequently, on 10 July 1980, the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher wrote to US President Jimmy Carter requesting the purchase of Trident I missiles on

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