HMS Vengeance (S31)

	HMS Vengeance returning to HMNB Clyde in 2007
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Vengeance
Laid down	1 February 1993
Launched	19 September 1998
Commissioned	27 November 1999
In service	12 February 2001
Homeport	HMNB Clyde
Motto	Safe by my strength
Badge
General characteristics
Class and type	Vanguard-class submarine
Displacement	15,900 tonnes, submerged
Length	149.9 m (491 ft 10 in)
Beam	12.8 m (42 ft 0 in)
Draught	12 m (39 ft 4 in)
Propulsion	1 × Rolls-Royce PWR2 nuclear reactor,; 2 × GEC turbines; 27,500 shp (20.5 MW); 1 × shaft, pump jet propulsor; 2 × auxiliary retractable propulsion motors; 2 × Allen turbo generators (6 MW); 2 × Paxman diesel alternators; 2,700 shp (2.0 MW);
Speed	In excess of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph), submerged
Range	Only limited by food and maintenance requirements.
Complement	135
Sensors and ; processing systems	BAE Systems SMCS; Kelvin Hughes Type 1007 I-band navigation radar; Thales Underwater Systems Type 2054 composite sonar suite comprising: ; Marconi/Ferranti Type 2046 towed array sonar ; Type 2043 hull-mounted active and passive search sonar ; Type 2082 passive intercept and ranging sonar; Pilkington Optronics CK51 search periscope; Pilkington Optronics CH91 attack periscope;
Electronic warfare ; & decoys	Two SSE Mk10 launchers for Type 2066 and Type 2071 torpedo decoys; RESM Racal UAP passive intercept;
Armament	4 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes for:; Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes; 16 ballistic missile tubes for:; 16 × Lockheed Trident II D5 SLBMs (carrying up to 48 nuclear warhead);

HMS Vengeance is the fourth and final Vanguard-class submarine of the Royal Navy. Vengeance carries the Trident ballistic missile, the UK's nuclear deterrent.

Vengeance was built at Barrow-in-Furness by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd, later BAE Systems Submarine Solutions, was launched in September 1998, and commissioned in November 1999.

Before she was commissioned, the British Government stated that once the Vanguard submarines became fully operational, they would only carry 200 warheads.

Vengeance carries unopened "last instructions" (letters of last resort) of the current British prime minister that are to be used in the event of a national catastrophe or a nuclear strike; this letter is identical to the letters carried on board the other three submarines of the Vanguard class.

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