Dreadnought Class

Ballistic Missile Submarine

The Dreadnought class of ballistic submarines for the Royal Navy is now being built. Successor was the name for the programme of delivering these submarines for the Royal Navy until the first boat was named in October 2016. 

This is the enduring commitment of the Navy's dedication to Continuous At Sea Deterrence (CASD) since April 1969.

At a glance

Personnel

130

Crew

displacement

17,200 tonnes

Displacement

152.9 metres

Length

30 years

Expected lifespan

Successor continues

Begun in 1969 with the four Resolution-class submarines, this core tasking in support of UK defence has been sustained non-stop by the Royal Navy. With their advent in 1992 the role was handed over to the four Vanguard boats, which are due to stay in service until the 2030s.

The Successor programme has begun the build of the hulls which will become the Dreadnought class of nuclear submarines and will take over the mantle of CASD in the future.

On October 21 2016, the name of the first Successor boat was announced as HMS Dreadnought.

Being a part of the Submarine Service

CH Hayes, 46

Chef (Submariner)

You can’t beat the buzz of working in a kitchen – especially when you’re 200 metres underwater! Living in such close quarters means we’re a tight-knit team, and a good meal is a sure-fire way to boost morale.