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Ballistic Submarines
HMS Vigilant

HMS Vigilant

HMS Vigilant is not, by nature, a high-profile vessel. Her role as one of the four submarines which make up the UK National nuclear deterrent means she must 'disappear' on patrol for weeks on end. For the past three years or so she has been out of circulation, undergoing her first major upgrade since she was launched at Barrow on 14 October 1995.

HMS Vigilant

  • HMS Vigilant

  • HMS Vigilant

  • HMS Vigilant

Her mid-life Long Overhaul Period Refuel LOP(R), costing in excess of £300 million, has seen her reactor core upgraded and she now has enough fuel to power her through the rest of her working life, as well as significant upgrades to all her major machinery and operating systems.

The LOP involved more than 3,500 separate surveys and at least 200 distinct upgrades, bringing in more than 80 different sub-contractors to conduct the 2.5 Million man hours of work carried out at Devonport under the control of Babcock Marine and the DE&S.

Vigilant left Devonport in the middle of last year as the most technologically advanced of her class, and has returned to her home port of Faslane where she is entering a period of extensive sea trials which will test both the submarine’s systems and her Ship’s Company.

She has undertaken her Demonstration and Shakedown Operations in the USA, which culminated in a successful test firing of an unarmed Trident II D5 Test Missile. She is in the process of readying herself to take up her role in the deterrent patrol cycle, a cycle which has been unbroken since 1969, totaling in excess of 300 patrols and more than 43 years, an impressive record in any organisation.

COMMANDING OFFICER

Mark Lister

Mark Lister
RANK:
Commander
JOINED:
1978
SPECIALISATION:
Warfare Officer
PREVIOUS UNITS:
HMS Vengeance, HMS Chiddingfold, HMS Quorn, HMS Vigilant, HMS Vengeance, HMS Valiant, HMS Orpheus
Military experience

Mark Lister has been in the deterrent programme since Jul 92 and is looking forward to the challenges of bringing HMS Vigilant out of an extended repair period and generating her back to full operational capability. The highlight of this regeneration will be the Demonstration And Shakedown Operations, culminating in a Trident II D5 Missile Test Firing conducted in the US, the first he will have witnessed during his long association with the SSBN Flotilla

Lister was born in April 1962 and was educated at Carlton-Bolling Comprehensive School, Bradford, West Yorkshire. Joining the Royal Navy in 1978 he qualified as a submariner in HMS Spartan and was involved in Operation CORPORATE. He stood by HMS Turbulent in build and was promoted to Midshipman in April 1984. During his Fleet Time, as a trainee warfare officer, he served in the newly constructed ships HMS Swift and HMS Edinburgh, taking part in the transit of the former from the UK to Hong Kong.

After completing his Officer of the Watch Course Lister returned to the Submarine Service serving in HMS Orpheus as the Torpedo Officer, HMS Valiant as the Communications Officer and HMS Ocelot as the Navigating Officer. During his time in HMS Valiant he was the Old Colour Officer for the presentation of the Submarine Flotilla Queen’s Colour in May 1989. After further specialist warfare training he became the Sonar Officer of HMS Resolution before a pre-command course appointment in HMS Torbay as the Operations Officer.

Successful completion of the Submarine Command Course saw Lister take up appointments in HMS Vanguard and HMS Vigilant as the Executive Officer and within Captain (Submarine) Sea and Shore Training’s organisation as ST11, the Command and Executive sea rider. Returning to the surface world Lister became the Commanding Officer of both HMS Chiddingfold and HMS Quorn, where he was twice awarded the Soberton Trophy, for Endeavour in Fishery Protection. Selected for promotion to Commander during a spell in the MOD, he was promoted in January 04. He assumed Command of HMS Vengeance (Starboard) in July that year and held that position for 3 years, before taking up a second post in London as the deterrent desk officer to the First Sea Lord. Lister joined the Faslane Flotilla as Commander Submarines in September 09 and was delighted to be selected for further sea service in Command in that appointment. He assumed Command of HMS Vigilant in September 11.


ABOUT THE UNIT

KEY STATISTICS


Pennant

S30

Displacement (Dived)

15,900Tonnes

Displacement (Surfaced)

14,891Tonnes

Complement

135Personnel

Length

149.9Metres

Beam

12.8Metres

Draught

12Metres

Top Speed

25Knots

Man Hours During Refit

2.2Million

Launch Date

14/10/95

Commissioned Date

02/11/96

TAKE A LOOK

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      HMS Vigilant shows vigilance when it comes to health and fitness

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      HMS Vigilant shows vigilance when it comes to health and fitness

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      HMS Vigilant shows vigilance when it comes to health and fitness

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      HMS Vigilant shows vigilance when it comes to health and fitness

    • image

      HMS Vigilant shows vigilance when it comes to health and fitness

    • image

      HMS Vigilant shows vigilance when it comes to health and fitness

    • image

      HMS Vigilant shows vigilance when it comes to health and fitness

    • image

      HMS Vigilant shows vigilance when it comes to health and fitness

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      Defence Secretary Announces Further £350m For Successor Submarines

    • image

      Defence Secretary Announces Further £350m For Successor Submarines

    • image

      Defence Secretary Announces Further £350m For Successor Submarines

    • image

      Defence Secretary Announces Further £350m For Successor Submarines

    • image

      Defence Secretary Announces Further £350M For Successor Submarines

      **STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 00.01 MONDAY 29th OCTOBER 2012** Shows HMS Vigilant preparing to fire an unarmed Trident II (D5) ballistic missile, during a test launch in the Atlantic Ocean last week. HMS Vigilant conducts DASO in Florida USA. HMS Vigilant is one of four Vanguard Class submarines which maintain the UK’s nuclear deterrent and this firing, the first in three years, confirms the credibility of the deterrent. The Vanguard submarines will be replaced from 2028 by the Successor which is currently being designed by British companies. As a result of today’s announcement, BAE Systems will proceed with an additional £315M worth of work, with a further £38M at Babcock.

    • image

      Defence Secretary Announces Further £350M For Successor Submarines

      **STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 00.01 MONDAY 29th OCTOBER 2012** Shows HMS Vigilant preparing to fire an unarmed Trident II (D5) ballistic missile, during a test launch in the Atlantic Ocean last week. HMS Vigilant is one of four Vanguard Class submarines which maintain the UK’s nuclear deterrent and this firing, the first in three years, confirms the credibility of the deterrent. The Vanguard submarines will be replaced from 2028 by the Successor which is currently being designed by British companies. As a result of today’s announcement, BAE Systems will proceed with an additional £315M worth of work, with a further £38M at Babcock.

    • image

      Defence Secretary Announces Further £350M For Successor Submarines

      **STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 00.01 MONDAY 29th OCTOBER 2012** Still image taken from video of the missile firing from HMS Vigilant. HMS Vigilant fired an unarmed Trident II (D5) ballistic missile, during a test launch in the Atlantic Ocean last week. HMS Vigilant is one of four Vanguard Class submarines which maintain the UK’s nuclear deterrent and this firing, the first in three years, confirms the credibility of the deterrent. The Vanguard submarines will be replaced from 2028 by the Successor which is currently being designed by British companies. As a result of today’s announcement, BAE Systems will proceed with an additional £315M worth of work, with a further £38M at Babcock.

    • image

      Defence Secretary Announces Further £350M For Successor Submarines

      **STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 00.01 MONDAY 29th OCTOBER 2012** Still image taken from video, of the missile firing from HMS Vigilant. HMS Vigilant fired an unarmed Trident II (D5) ballistic missile, during a test launch in the Atlantic Ocean last week. HMS Vigilant is one of four Vanguard Class submarines which maintain the UK’s nuclear deterrent and this firing, the first in three years, confirms the credibility of the deterrent. The Vanguard submarines will be replaced from 2028 by the Successor which is currently being designed by British companies. As a result of today’s announcement, BAE Systems will proceed with an additional £315M worth of work, with a further £38M at Babcock.

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      Defence Secretary Announces Further £350M For Successor Submarines

      **STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 00.01 MONDAY 29th OCTOBER 2012** HMS Vigilant's Weapons Engineering Officer pulls the trigger during a rehearsed Trident missile firing onboard the boat. HMS Vigilant conducted a successful firing of an unarmed Trident ballistic missile during a test launch in the Atlantic Ocean on the 23rd October 2012. HMS Vigilant is one of four Vanguard Class submarines which maintain the UK’s nuclear deterrent and this firing, the first in three years, confirms the credibility of the deterrent. The Vanguard submarines will be replaced from 2028 by the Successor which is currently being designed by British companies. *** Local Caption *** Lieutenant Commander David O'Connor

    • image

      Defence Secretary Announces Further £350M For Successor Submarines

      **STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL 00.01 MONDAY 29th OCTOBER 2012** Still image taken from video of the missile firing from HMS Vigilant. HMS Vigilant fired an unarmed Trident II (D5) ballistic missile, during a test launch in the Atlantic Ocean last week. HMS Vigilant is one of four Vanguard Class submarines which maintain the UK’s nuclear deterrent and this firing, the first in three years, confirms the credibility of the deterrent. The Vanguard submarines will be replaced from 2028 by the Successor which is currently being designed by British companies. As a result of today’s announcement, BAE Systems will proceed with an additional £315M worth of work, with a further £38M at Babcock.

    • image

      Defence Secretary Announces Further £350M For Successor Submarines

    • image

      Defence Secretary Announces Further £350M For Successor Submarines

    • image

      Defence Secretary Announces Further £350M For Successor Submarines

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      LMA Chris Martin

      Clyde-based Royal Navy submarine, HMS Vigilant, helped mark the official start of the London 2012 Olympics on Friday, July 27, with a traditional three-minute ringing of the bells. Across the entire UK, Royal Navy ships and establishments joined the celebrations and HMS Vigilant’s Leading Medical Assistant (LMA) Chris Martin was given the honour for the nuclear sub. The thirty-five-year-old from Portsmouth was picked because of his own gold winning status as Royal Navy Power Lifting Champion. At the very least Chris ensured that the bell could be heard throughout the entire naval base! Chris said: “It is a great honour to represent HMS Vigilant and her ship’s company on a national scale and to be part of such a prestigious event in our country’s history.” The celebrations were part of the Cultural Olympiad project entitled “All the Bells” and involved as many bells as possible ringing simultaneously at 8.12am across the country on the first day of the Games.

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      LMA Chris Martin

      Clyde-based Royal Navy submarine, HMS Vigilant, helped mark the official start of the London 2012 Olympics on Friday, July 27, with a traditional three-minute ringing of the bells. Across the entire UK, Royal Navy ships and establishments joined the celebrations and HMS Vigilant’s Leading Medical Assistant (LMA) Chris Martin was given the honour for the nuclear sub. The thirty-five-year-old from Portsmouth was picked because of his own gold winning status as Royal Navy Power Lifting Champion. At the very least Chris ensured that the bell could be heard throughout the entire naval base! Chris said: “It is a great honour to represent HMS Vigilant and her ship’s company on a national scale and to be part of such a prestigious event in our country’s history.” The celebrations were part of the Cultural Olympiad project entitled “All the Bells” and involved as many bells as possible ringing simultaneously at 8.12am across the country on the first day of the Games.

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      HMS Vigilant

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      HMS Vigilant

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      HMS Vigilant

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      HMS Vigilant

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      HMS Vigilant

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      HMS Vigilant

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      HMS Vigilant returns to the Fleet

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      Vigilant Refit

      DEPARTURE OF HMS VIGILANT FROM DEVONPORT.After a three year refit HMS VIGILANT departs from Devonport Dockyard, heading to sea to slip beneath the waves once more.Pictured here is HMS Vigliant assisted by tugs as she passes the Plymouth Hoe on route to sea.

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      Vigilant Refit

      DEPARTURE OF HMS VIGILANT FROM DEVONPORT. After a three year refit HMS VIGILANT departs from Devonport Dockyard, heading to sea to slip beneath the waves once more. Pictured here is HMS Vigliant heading towards the Plymouth Sound with RFA Wave Knight in the background.

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      Vigilant Refit

      DEPARTURE OF HMS VIGILANT FROM DEVONPORT.After a three year refit HMS VIGILANT departs from Devonport Dockyard, heading to sea to slip beneath the waves once more.Pictured here is HMS Vigliant assisted by tugs heading towards the Plymouth Sound.

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      Vigilant Refit

      DEPARTURE OF HMS VIGILANT FROM DEVONPORT.After a three year refit HMS VIGILANT departs from Devonport Dockyard, heading to sea to slip beneath the waves once more.Pictured here is HMS Vigliant assisted by tugs heading towards the Plymouth Sound.

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      Vigilant Refit

      DEPARTURE OF HMS VIGILANT FROM DEVONPORT. After a three year refit HMS VIGILANT departs from Devonport Dockyard, heading to sea to slip beneath the waves once more. Pictured here is HMS Vigilant as she leaves the basin with HMS Ocean in the background.

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      Sailors Cycle Over 500 Miles For Navy Charity

      SAILORS CYCLE OVER 500 MILES FOR NAVY CHARITY A seven-strong team of Royal Navy submariners recently reached HM Naval Base Clyde after a mammoth 550 mile cycle ride. Beginning on Wednesday, August 24, at HM Naval Base Devonport, the sailors from HMS Vigilant hopped on their saddles for a six day journey north that would see them cover 80 to 95 miles per day for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity. Petty Officer (PO) Mick Hughes, who organised the event, said: “What started as an idea over a few pints turned into a very challenging event which was painful, tiring, wet and windy at times, but always enjoyable.” During their journey the amateur cyclists climbed some 14,777 feet (half the height of Everest) and collectively burned over 312,000 calories – that’s five and a half stones of fat! “The first two days were definitely the hardest,” continued PO Hughes, “but after we got that out of the way we began to settle into the journey. The Welsh hills were still a challenge though as were the hills at Kendal.”

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      Sailors Cycle Over 500 Miles For Navy Charity

      SAILORS CYCLE OVER 500 MILES FOR NAVY CHARITY A seven-strong team of Royal Navy submariners recently reached HM Naval Base Clyde after a mammoth 550 mile cycle ride. Beginning on Wednesday, August 24, at HM Naval Base Devonport, the sailors from HMS Vigilant hopped on their saddles for a six day journey north that would see them cover 80 to 95 miles per day for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity. Petty Officer (PO) Mick Hughes, who organised the event, said: “What started as an idea over a few pints turned into a very challenging event which was painful, tiring, wet and windy at times, but always enjoyable.” During their journey the amateur cyclists climbed some 14,777 feet (half the height of Everest) and collectively burned over 312,000 calories – that’s five and a half stones of fat! “The first two days were definitely the hardest,” continued PO Hughes, “but after we got that out of the way we began to settle into the journey. The Welsh hills were still a challenge though as were the hills at Kendal.”

    • image

      Sailors Cycle Over 500 Miles For Navy Charity

      SAILORS CYCLE OVER 500 MILES FOR NAVY CHARITY A seven-strong team of Royal Navy submariners recently reached HM Naval Base Clyde after a mammoth 550 mile cycle ride. Beginning on Wednesday, August 24, at HM Naval Base Devonport, the sailors from HMS Vigilant hopped on their saddles for a six day journey north that would see them cover 80 to 95 miles per day for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity. Petty Officer (PO) Mick Hughes, who organised the event, said: “What started as an idea over a few pints turned into a very challenging event which was painful, tiring, wet and windy at times, but always enjoyable.” During their journey the amateur cyclists climbed some 14,777 feet (half the height of Everest) and collectively burned over 312,000 calories – that’s five and a half stones of fat! “The first two days were definitely the hardest,” continued PO Hughes, “but after we got that out of the way we began to settle into the journey. The Welsh hills were still a challenge though as were the hills at Kendal.”

    • image

      Sailors Cycle Over 500 Miles For Navy Charity

      SAILORS CYCLE OVER 500 MILES FOR NAVY CHARITY A seven-strong team of Royal Navy submariners recently reached HM Naval Base Clyde after a mammoth 550 mile cycle ride. Beginning on Wednesday, August 24, at HM Naval Base Devonport, the sailors from HMS Vigilant hopped on their saddles for a six day journey north that would see them cover 80 to 95 miles per day for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity. Petty Officer (PO) Mick Hughes, who organised the event, said: “What started as an idea over a few pints turned into a very challenging event which was painful, tiring, wet and windy at times, but always enjoyable.” During their journey the amateur cyclists climbed some 14,777 feet (half the height of Everest) and collectively burned over 312,000 calories – that’s five and a half stones of fat! “The first two days were definitely the hardest,” continued PO Hughes, “but after we got that out of the way we began to settle into the journey. The Welsh hills were still a challenge though as were the hills at Kendal.”

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      Po Hughes From HMS Vigilant

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      HMS Vigilant

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      HMS Vigilant

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      HMS Vigilant

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      HMS Vigilant

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      HMS Vigilant

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      HMS Vigilant

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      HMS Vigilant

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      HMS Vigilant

UNITS IN TIME


HMS Vigilant HISTORY

TRACK THE HISTORY OF SHIPS NAMED HMS Vigilant
  • The First Vigilant

    The first Vigilant was the French 4th Rate Vigilante, mounting 58 guns, captured by Superb off Cape Breton in May 1745 and sold in December 1759; balancing up the account was the Canadian Lakes schooner Vigilant of 1755, captured by the French at Oswego in August 1756.

  • The Third Vigilant

    The third of the name was a 3rd Rate 64-gun ship of the line launched at Bucker’s Hard in Hampshire in October 1774. She saw plenty of action, including battles in the Caribbean and in home waters.

  • The Fourth Vigilant

    An ‘armed ship’ of 20 guns, formerly the Empress of Russia, was bought in America in 1777 but was burnt at South Carolina three years later.

  • The fifth Vigilant

    The fifth Vigilant met the same fate met as the fourth. The four-gun cutter Vigilante (formerly the Alerte), a capture from the French in August 1793, was destroyed at the evacuation of Toulon just four months later.

  • Vigilant Number Six

    Number 6 was a four-gun schooner bought in 1803 and sold in 1808, her successor was the French eight-gun schooner Imperial, captured by Cygnet off Dominica in May 1806 and renamed Subtle six months later. Within a year she was wrecked off Bermuda.

  • Launch at Deptford

    Next was a 12-gun cutter launched at Deptford in April 1821, while Vigilant number 9 came to nothing – the 1,540-ton wooden screw frigate was ordered in March 1846 to be built in Portsmouth but cancelled three years later.

  • The Eighth Vigilant

    A wood screw gunvessel of 680 tons was launched at Blackwall in London in March 1856 and sold in Bombay in February 1869; two years later Vigilant number 11, a wooden paddle dispatch vessel of 1,000 tons, was launched in Devonport and served for 15 years before being sold in Hong Kong in October 1886.

  • Torpedo Boat Destroyer

    The next Vigilant was a 380-ton C-class ‘30-Knotter’ torpedo-boat destroyer, a speculative purchase from John Brown in 1900 which served with the Navy for 20 years.

  • Survival and Attack

    Far-from-unlucky 13 was the 1,710-ton Valentine-class destroyer launched by Swan Hunter at the end of 1942, which not only survived the war but also had roles to play in the attack on the Tirpitz in April 1944, in the Force 63 bombardment of Sumatra a year later, supporting air strikes on Penang and the landings in Rangoon, both in 1945.

  • A Type 15 Fast Anti-Submarine Frigate

    In 1952-53 she was converted to a Type 15 fast anti-submarine frigate, and was eventually broken up at Faslane in 1965.

  • Vigilant Numbers 14 and 15

    Number 14 was a patrol boat, launched in March 1975 and renamed Meavy in July 1986 – leaving the current V-boat as Vigilant Number 15. Turning to the auxiliaries, all bar one date from the 20th century, the exception being a small cutter hired between 1793 and 1801. Four were tugs (one of which assisted in rescue attempts on HMS Thetis in Liverpool Bay in the summer of 1939), three trawlers or motor fishing vessels, and the remaining three were a drifter, auxiliary patrol craft and yacht.

LATEST NEWS

 

TOP STORIES

HMS Vigilant shows vigilance when it comes to health and fitness
HMS Vigilant shows vigilance when it comes to health and fitness
08 February 2013

The crew of HMS Vigilant are embracing even healthier lifestyles...

Defence Secretary Announces Further £350m For Successor Submarines
Defence Secretary Announces Further £350M For Successor Submarines
29 October 2012

The Defence Secretary has announced an additional £350M worth of...

Olympic Spirit Rings Out Across the Navy
Olympic Spirit Rings Out Across the Navy
27 July 2012

Royal Naval personnel paused from their normal duties around Britain...

LMA Chris Martin
Vigilant rings the bells
27 July 2012

Clyde-based Royal Navy submarine, HMS Vigilant, helped mark the official...

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