The Royal Navy's Swiftsure-class of nuclear fleet submarines (SSNs) is the older of the two classes of attack submarine in service with the RN. It originally contained six boats, but HMS Swiftsure was decommissioned in 1992 due to damage suffered to the pressure hull during trials. HMS Splendid followed in 2004 due to defence cuts meaning a reduction in the RN SSN fleet. The rest of the class are scheduled to be out of service by the end of the first decade of the 21st century.

All can now fire Tomahawk missiles in addition to their original armaments of torpedoes, mines and anti-ship missiles.

General Characteristics

• Builder: Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd
• Displacement: 4400 tons standard; 4900 tons submerged
• Length: 83 meters
• Beam: 9.8 meters
• Draught: 8.5 meters
• Complement: 13 officers, 103 ratings
• Armament: 5 tubes capable of firing:
  • Spearfish torpedoes
  • Tigerfish torpedoes
  • RN Sub Harpoon missiles
  • Tomahawk missiles
• Sensors:
  • sonar (bow, flank, active intercept, and towed arrays)
  • periscopes (attack and search)
  • collision avoidance radar