HMS Vanguard
HMS Vanguard was the first of the four submarines of her class to be launched, on 4 March 1992 at Barrow. As the name-ship of the class she continued to lead the way, carrying out the first Trident missile test firing in May 1994 and the first operational deterrent patrol in early 1995. She was also the first to undergo her major mid-life refit, from 2002 to 2004, during which she was fitted with the new Core H reactor core, which will provide the power to see her through the rest of her service life.
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Vanguard
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Vanguard
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Vanguard
Pictures of Vanguard and her sisters do not do the boats justice – at a fraction under 150 metres the submarine is almost the same length as St Paul's Cathedral.
Each V-boat has two captains and two crews, port and starboard, which means the duty crew are out keeping the UK safe while their opposite numbers, back at the boat's base at Faslane in Scotland, train or take leave.
COMMANDING OFFICER
Sean Ryan
- RANK:
- Commander
- JOINED:
- 1991
- SPECIALISATION:
- Warfare
- PREVIOUS UNITS:
- HMS Pembroke
Military experience
Commander Sean Ryan assumed Command of HMS Vanguard (Port crew) in September 2011.
Having joined the Navy as a graduate in 1991 and following Britannia Royal Naval College and early Fleet training, Commander Ryan specialised as a submarine warfare officer.
A wide range of appointments in attack submarines culminated in success at the Submarine Command Course, oft referred to as ‘perisher’, prior to appointment as the Executive Officer of HMS Spartan.
In 2005, he took Command of the Minehunter HMS Pembroke and over the course of the next two years saw service in both the 1st and 2nd Mine Countermeasures Squadrons as well as working with NATO in European and UK waters.
Shore appointments have included a period as the Submarine Special Operations Officer at Northwood Headquarters and a return to BRNC as the
Officer Commanding Initial Officer Training.
COMMANDING OFFICER
Paul Blythe
- RANK:
- Commander
- JOINED:
- 1987
- SPECIALISATION:
- Warfare
- PREVIOUS UNITS:
- HMS Victorious, Turbulent, Trenchant, Triumph, Vengeance
Military experience
Paul Blythe joined the Royal Navy as a Naval College Entrant in January 1987 and completed his sea-based training in HM Ships Fife, Bulldog, Brave and Anglesey.
On completion of his Officer of the Watch course, he proceeded to HMS Dolphin for submarine training and joined HMS Turbulent as the Casing Officer at the start of a very busy operational period.
In 1991, he joined HMS Opossum as the Navigation and Operations Officer, enjoying patrols in the Mediterranean and the first visit by a British submarine to the USSR since the Second World War.
After navigating, Paul returned to the submarine school in 1993 and taught warfare tactics to future submarine navigators.
Attendance on the Advanced Warfare Course followed in 1995 which lead to 3 Watch Leader appointments; initially as the Sonar Officer of HMS Victorious (Port), completing her first 3 deterrent patrols and then moving to HM Submarines Trenchant and Triumph as the Operations Officer. His time on the ‘T’ boats varied between ASW patrols, intelligence gathering and the introduction of the Tomahawk Land Attack Missile capability. These patrols and exercises spread from the North Atlantic, through the Mediterranean, into the Gulf and out to the Far East.
Leaving HMS Triumph in Singapore, he returned to successfully complete the Submarine Command Course, or “Perisher”, in 2000 and subsequently took up his position as the Executive Officer of HMS Sovereign.
In 2004, Paul moved ashore to become the nuclear deterrent operations officer within the Fleet Operations Headquarters, Northwood. Responsible for planning and supporting UK sensitive submarine operations, he particularly enjoyed the strategic considerations and implications that such patrols warrant.
In 2007, he changed tack away from operations and into personnel. In what he considers to be one of his most rewarding posts, he became the Career Manager to nearly 300 Submarine Warfare Officers, relishing the challenge of re-building a cadre that was under exceptional pressure from manpower shortages and a very high operational tempo.
Promoted to Cdr in 2009, Paul attended the Advanced Command and Staff Course at the Defence Academy, Shrivenham where he completed an MA in International Defence Studies.
He was subsequently appointed Commanding Officer, HMS Vengeance (Port) in November 2010 and conducted the final patrol, taking her out of operational service and in to overhaul in 2012.
Re-assigned to HMS Vanguard (Starboard) in May 2012, Paul returns to deterrent operations.
LATEST NEWS
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£350M Contracts for Design of Future Nuclear Deterrent Submarines
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27 April 2012Crew members from Royal Navy submarine, HMS Vanguard, used a...
ABOUT THE UNIT
KEY STATISTICS
- Pennant
S28
- Displacement (Dived)
15,900Tonnes
- Displacement (Surfaced)
14,891Tonnes
- Complement
135Personnel
- Length
149.9Metres
- Beam
12.8Metres
- Draught
12Metres
- Top Speed
25Knots
- Number of Officers
14
- Launch Date
04/03/92
- Commissioned Date
14/08/93
TAKE A LOOK
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