Successor to the UK Trident system
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders: | BAE Systems, Barrow-in-Furness, England |
| Operators: |
 Royal Navy
|
| Preceded by: | Vanguard class |
| Built: | First expected by 2028 |
| Building: | 1 |
| Planned: | 4 |
| Completed: | 0 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine |
| Displacement: | 17,200 t (16,900 long tons; 19,000 short tons) |
| Length: | 152.9 metres (502 ft) |
| Propulsion: | Nuclear reactor, turbo-electric drive, pump-jet |
| Range: | Unlimited |
| Complement: | 130 |
| Armament: |
|
The Dreadnought class is the replacement for the Vanguard class of ballistic missile submarines which entered service in the United Kingdom in the 1990s with an intended service life of 25 years. They will carry Trident D-5 missiles – the vehicle for delivering the UK's nuclear weapons. Replacing the Vanguard submarines is necessary if the Royal Navy is to maintain a "continuous at-sea deterrent" (CASD), the principle of operation behind the Trident system.
In May 2011 the government approved the initial assessment phase for the new submarines and authorised the purchase of long lead-time items including steel for the hulls. In May 2015 the Conservative Party won the UK General Election on a manifesto which included a commitment to maintaining a CASD with four Successor submarines. The final decision to commit to the Successor programme was approved on 18 July 2016 when the House of Commons voted to renew Trident by 472 votes to 117. Construction started in late 2016 at the Barrow-in-Furness shipyard operated by BAE Systems Maritime – Submarines. The first submarine is originally expected to enter service in 2028.
Successor has generated controversy because of its cost and also as some political parties and campaign groups such as the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) or Trident Ploughshares oppose the retention of CASD or any nuclear weapons by the UK on moral or financial grounds.
Previously named Successor class, it was officially announced on 21 October 2016 (to mark Trafalgar Day) that the first of class would be named Dreadnought, and that the class would be the Dreadnought class. The next three boats will also be given names with "historical resonance".
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Wikipedia