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Trident Submariner: Pale Skin And No Whistling

Britain's nuclear submarines are so secret they surface only to take on food, and non-operational contact is limited to 120 words.


16:04, UK,Thursday 21 January 2016
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Gallery: Life Onboard Britain's Nuclear Deterrent

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, in the weapons storage compartment onboard HMS Vigilant at Her Majesty's Naval Base, Clyde in Rhu, Scotland
























Gallery: Life Onboard Britain's Nuclear Deterrent

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, in the weapons storage compartment onboard HMS Vigilant at Her Majesty's Naval Base, Clyde in Rhu, Scotland



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Alistair Bunkall
Defence Correspondent
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When one of the UK’s ballistic submarines leaves the deep water base at Clyde, she makes her way along Loch Long and into the North Atlantic.

Once in open water the 16,000 tonnes boat slips below the waves and disappears not to be seen again for months.

Her whereabouts are so well guarded most of the crew onboard are not told. There are few areas of British life more secretive than the UK's nuclear deterrent.

To stay invisible the submarine keeps outgoing transmissions to a minimum. The only non-operational contact with the the outside world is a weekly message from family and friends, limited to 120 words.

A nuclear reactor powers the boat, in theory allowing it to stay submerged indefinitely. Oxygen is recycled and the submarine makes its own water. It only has to surface for human needs; food.
Play video "Trident Is An 'Insurance Policy'"









Video: Trident Is An 'Insurance Policy'

For a three-month patrol, they will stock up with 250 bags of sausages, 18,000 eggs and 1,440 Mars Bars.

The menu is planned to create some rhythm to the weeks - Theme Tuesdays, Curry Wednesdays, Steak Fridays, Sunday Roast.

Oxtail soup is banned onboard. Superstition has it that the dish was the final meal to be served on the last British submarine to sink.

Whistling is another no-no, except for chefs who were historically allowed to whistle to prove they were not stealing food and hiding in their mouths.

To an outsider, the submarine is claustrophobic. The ceilings are low - I’m six feet three inches and found myself having to stoop most the time to avoid pipes and sticking out bits of metal.

Officers sleep three to room, with the exception of the Captain and the Executive Officer who have the luxury of their own cabins.

Serving on a submarine comes with a financial bonus - an average of £25 per day extra and more when on patrol.
Play video "Corbyn's Trident Suggestion"









Video: Corbyn's Trident Suggestion

Alcohol is generally prohibited onboard unless the Captain gives express permission, which is rare.

The crew take vitamin D supplements two or three times a day to compensate for the lack on sunlight, but even so, "our skin turns a bit translucent after a while" said one of the crew.

Trident In Numbers:

:: Each of the four Vanguard ballistic submarines has 16 Trident missile tubes but will typically carry eight missiles, each weighing 60 tonnes and nearly 13 metres in length.

:: The Trident D5 missiles are kept at King’s Bay, Georgia USA. The nuclear warheads are stored at Coulport, a few miles from the submarine base at Clyde on the west coast of Scotland.

:: The Vanguard submarines are limited to carrying up to 40 warheads a time. The Trident II D5 has a range of over 4,000 nautical miles and an accuracy that can be measured in metres.

:: Each missile is technically capable of delivering 12 nuclear warheads meaning different targets can be engaged by the one missile.
Play video "What Is Trident?"









Video: What Is Trident?

:: The missile is ejected from the tube by high-pressure gas and a rocket-system kicks in once it reaches the surface. Within two minutes it is travelling at 6,000 metres a second.

Trident's Home At Faslane:

:: Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde is home to the UK’s four ballistic nuclear submarines: HMS Vanguard, HMS Victorious, HMS Vigilant and HMS Vengeance.

:: Acquired in 1943, the location of the base is strategically ideal for the secret deterrent. Hills on each side of the deep water Loch Long gives the boats protection. It was said that the cloud cover, common in Scotland, prevented Russian satellites from spying on the base during the Cold War.

:: The base gives the submarines quick access to the North Atlantic and Irish Sea.

:: It is guarded by 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group of the Royal Marines drilled to respond to a threat within two minutes. When alongside port, armed sailors patrol the deck of a submarine.