Royal Navy Submarine Service
The submarine arm of the Royal Navy, responsible for the United Kingdom’s nuclear-powered attack submarines and strategic ballistic-missile submarines.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
The Royal Navy Submarine Service is one of the Royal Navy’s five fighting arms and the organization responsible for Britain’s submarine operations, personnel, training, doctrine and specialist support. Often called the “Silent Service,” it is built around the operational value of remaining undetected. Its principal missions include anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, intelligence gathering, covert surveillance, land-attack operations, special-forces support and the United Kingdom’s continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent. The modern service operates an exclusively nuclear-powered fleet. Its attack-submarine component comprises Astute-class boats, designed for long-range endurance, covert intelligence work, escort duties and offensive operations. These submarines can employ Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles. The strategic component consists of Vanguard-class ballistic-missile submarines, which carry the Trident missile system and sustain the United Kingdom’s continuous deterrent patrol posture. The service’s force structure has contracted substantially since the Cold War, when Britain operated several submarine classes and a much larger number of boats. The service traces its institutional origins to the Royal Navy’s decision in 1900 to order five submarines based on designs associated with the Electric Boat Company. Holland 1, launched in 1901, became the Royal Navy’s first submarine. Six officers were recruited for the new arm under Reginald Bacon, the first Inspecting Captain of Submarines. By the outbreak of the First World War, the service had developed into a sizeable force and gained distinction through operations in the North Sea and elsewhere. Lieutenant Norman Holbrook’s 1914 attack with HMS B11, which passed through minefields to sink the Ottoman battleship Mesûdiye, brought the first of the service’s wartime Victoria Crosses. During the Second World War, Royal Navy submarines operated across multiple theaters, most notably the Mediterranean. U-class, T-class and other boats attacked Axis shipping, warships and submarines from bases including Malta and Alexandria. Losses were severe, particularly in the Mediterranean, but individual boats and commanders achieved notable successes. HMS Upholder, commanded by Malcolm Wanklyn, became one of the best-known examples; Wanklyn received the Victoria Cross for a 1941 attack on an Italian convoy. The submarine force also participated in operations in the Far East and supported the wider Allied maritime campaign. The nuclear era transformed the service. HMS Dreadnought, launched in 1960, was Britain’s first nuclear-powered submarine. The Royal Navy subsequently introduced nuclear-powered attack-submarine classes and assumed responsibility for the strategic nuclear deterrent from the Royal Air Force in 1968. Resolution-class submarines initially carried Polaris missiles, while the Vanguard class and Trident system later replaced them. This strategic role remains the service’s most politically consequential responsibility. The Submarine Service has also conducted combat operations after the Cold War. HMS Conqueror sank the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano during the 1982 Falklands War, the first sinking of a surface ship by a nuclear-powered submarine. Royal Navy submarines later launched Tomahawk missiles during operations connected with Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. Today, the service combines deterrence, high-end naval warfare, covert activity and specialist training. It faces persistent challenges involving nuclear-submarine construction and maintenance, technical staffing, recruitment, long patrols and the demands of sustaining both the attack-submarine fleet and the continuous deterrent.
History
The Royal Navy’s submarine arm began taking institutional shape at the start of the twentieth century. In 1900 the navy ordered five submarines from Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering at Barrow-in-Furness, using designs associated with the Electric Boat Company. Holland 1 was launched in 1901, and six officers entered the new service under Reginald Bacon, the first Inspecting Captain of Submarines. The force expanded rapidly before the First World War. By 1914 it included dozens of submarines and more than a thousand ratings. Its wartime record included five Royal Navy Victoria Crosses, among them Lieutenant Norman Holbrook’s celebrated passage through minefields in HMS B11 to attack the Ottoman warship Mesûdiye. The First World War also exposed the dangers of integrating submarines with fleet operations. The steam-powered K class was intended to operate at high speed with surface ships, but the 1918 exercises near the Isle of May produced a chain of collisions and sinkings later known as the Battle of May Island. The incident caused heavy casualties and became one of the service’s defining peacetime disasters. At the beginning of the Second World War the Royal Navy had about sixty submarines, with more under construction. By August 1945, 178 additional boats had been commissioned, while 76 had been lost to all causes. The Mediterranean was particularly dangerous. British submarines operated from Malta and Alexandria against Italian and Axis shipping, initially suffering substantial losses from mines and other defenses. The Tenth Submarine Flotilla, associated with Malta, became a major element of the campaign. U-class and T-class boats attacked merchant vessels, tankers, warships and submarines. HMS Upholder, commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Malcolm Wanklyn, became one of the best-known boats of the campaign before being lost in 1942. The Tenth Flotilla was dissolved in 1944 as the Mediterranean force was reorganized. After 1945 the submarine fleet was reduced, but nuclear propulsion created a new strategic capability. HMS Dreadnought, launched in 1960, was Britain’s first nuclear-powered submarine. The Valiant class followed with a British Rolls-Royce PWR1 reactor. In 1968 responsibility for the United Kingdom’s strategic nuclear deterrent passed from the Royal Air Force to the Royal Navy. Resolution-class ballistic-missile submarines carried Polaris missiles, establishing the model of a sea-based deterrent that was later replaced by Vanguard-class submarines carrying Trident. The organization’s senior submarine command moved from HMS Dolphin in Hampshire to Northwood Headquarters in 1978, where the Flag Officer Submarines also held a NATO submarine command appointment. The Submarine School is now based at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall. During the Cold War’s final period, the Flag Officer Submarines commanded a much larger force than exists today, with approximately thirty submarines organized into multiple squadrons and operating from several bases. The service remained active in expeditionary operations after the Cold War. In the Falklands War, HMS Conqueror sank General Belgrano, while other nuclear-powered boats tracked Argentine naval forces. In 1999 HMS Splendid fired the first Royal Navy Tomahawk missile in combat during the Kosovo conflict. Trafalgar and Triumph launched missiles during Operation Veritas in Afghanistan, Turbulent fired fourteen Tomahawks during the 2003 Iraq invasion, and Triumph and Turbulent participated in Operation Ellamy in Libya in 2011. Modern operations are shaped by the demands of a small, technically complex nuclear fleet. The service has dealt with maintenance delays, long patrols, difficulty recruiting specialist nuclear and sonar personnel, and the challenge of sustaining both attack submarines and the continuous deterrent. Training is highly selective. The Perisher course, formally the Submarine Command Course, tests officers before they can serve as executive officers and is regarded as one of the world’s most demanding naval command courses. Traditions such as the Dolphins qualification badge, black cap covers, the Dolphin Code and the flying of the Jolly Roger reinforce the service’s distinct identity.
- 2011
Operation Ellamy missile operations
[1]HMS Triumph and HMS Turbulent launched Tomahawk missiles against targets in Libya.
- 1999
First combat Tomahawk launch
[1]HMS Splendid fired a Tomahawk cruise missile during the Kosovo conflict.
- 1994
Vanguard and Trident era begins
[1]Vanguard-class submarines began replacing Resolution-class boats as the platform for the Trident strategic missile system.
- 1982
Sinking of General Belgrano
[1]HMS Conqueror sank the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano during the Falklands War.
- 1978
Senior submarine command moves to Northwood
[1]The senior submariner’s headquarters moved from HMS Dolphin to Northwood Headquarters.
- 1968
Royal Navy assumes the strategic deterrent
[1]The United Kingdom transferred its nuclear deterrent from the Royal Air Force to the Royal Navy, supported by Resolution-class submarines and Polaris missiles.
- 1960
HMS Dreadnought launched
[1]Britain’s first nuclear-powered submarine entered the nuclear era of the Submarine Service.
- 1914
B11 attacks Mesûdiye
[1]Lieutenant Norman Holbrook led HMS B11 through minefields to sink the Ottoman warship Mesûdiye, earning the first Royal Navy submarine Victoria Cross of the war.
- 1901
Holland 1 launched
[1]Holland 1 became the first submarine launched for the Royal Navy.
- 1900
First submarine orders
[1]The Royal Navy ordered five submarines from Vickers, initiating the institutional development of its submarine arm.
Products and positioning
A sovereign military undersea service centered on nuclear-powered submarine operations, strategic deterrence, covert surveillance and expeditionary naval warfare.
Nuclear-powered fleet submarines · 2007
Astute class
The Astute class is the Royal Navy’s current fleet-submarine class. These nuclear-powered attack submarines provide long endurance and covert mobility for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence collection, special-forces support and land attack. Their weapons include Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles. Six boats are identified as in commission in the referenced material, with another under construction.
Ballistic-missile submarines · 1992
Vanguard class
The Vanguard class provides the platform for the United Kingdom’s continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent. The boats carry the Trident missile system and operate on extended patrols intended to preserve a survivable strategic capability. The class succeeded the Resolution submarines, which carried Polaris missiles from the late 1960s.
Submarine command course · 1917
Perisher
Perisher is the customary name for the Royal Navy Submarine Command Course. It is a demanding qualification that officers must complete before serving as executive officers aboard Royal Navy submarines. The course has been conducted twice yearly since 1917 and is associated with a rigorous selection process. Since the Royal Navy no longer operates diesel-electric submarines, the Netherlands hosts the comparable course for that type and navies from several countries participate.
Marketing campaigns
- 2011Operation Ellamy
Libya · Mediterranean Sea
HMS Triumph and HMS Turbulent launched Tomahawk missiles at Libyan targets and fired the first shots of the operation.
Outcome. The Submarine Service again demonstrated its role in covert, long-range precision strike.
- 2003Iraq invasion
Iraq · Persian Gulf
HMS Turbulent launched fourteen Tomahawk missiles during the invasion of Iraq.
Outcome. Submarine-launched cruise missiles formed part of the coalition’s opening long-range strike campaign.
- 2001Operation Veritas
Afghanistan
Trafalgar and Triumph launched Tomahawk cruise missiles during the opening attacks on al-Qaeda and Taliban targets.
Outcome. The operation confirmed the submarine force’s contribution to expeditionary strike missions after the September 11 attacks.
- 1999Kosovo conflict
Balkans · Adriatic region
HMS Splendid conducted the first Royal Navy submarine launch of a Tomahawk cruise missile in combat.
Outcome. The operation established a recurring Royal Navy submarine role in stand-off land attack.
- 1982Falklands War
South Atlantic
Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarines supported the British campaign. HMS Conqueror sank General Belgrano, while HMS Splendid and HMS Spartan tracked the Argentine carrier group.
Outcome. The sinking of General Belgrano demonstrated the operational reach and combat impact of nuclear-powered submarines in a maritime conflict.
- 1941Mediterranean submarine campaign
Mediterranean Sea
Royal Navy U-class and T-class submarines operated from Malta and Alexandria against Italian and Axis shipping, warships and submarines. The campaign produced important successes but also heavy losses, particularly from mines and defensive measures.
Outcome. The force contributed to the wider Allied maritime campaign, with the Malta-based Tenth Submarine Flotilla later disbanded during the 1944 reorganization.
Brand decisions
2016
Preparation to resume Arctic under-ice operationsStrategyBackground
The Royal Navy had reportedly not conducted under-ice operations since 2007, following a fatal incident aboard HMS Tireless.
Action taken
Crews of the active attack submarines were scheduled to receive training in under-ice navigation and surfacing through ice.
Aftermath
The initiative was intended to restore a demanding cold-region capability relevant to North Atlantic and Arctic operations.
1994
Transition from Resolution and Polaris to Vanguard and TridentGeneration changeBackground
The Polaris-equipped Resolution class was approaching replacement after more than two decades of deterrent patrols.
Action taken
The Royal Navy introduced the Vanguard class as the Trident missile platform.
Aftermath
Vanguard became the foundation of the United Kingdom’s continuous at-sea deterrent.
1968
Transfer of the strategic nuclear deterrent to the Royal NavyStrategyBackground
The United Kingdom sought a survivable, sea-based strategic deterrent operated by submarines rather than relying on the Royal Air Force’s previous role.
Action taken
The Royal Navy assumed responsibility for the deterrent and introduced Resolution-class submarines carrying Polaris missiles.
Aftermath
The decision established the Submarine Service’s enduring strategic mission, later carried by Vanguard-class submarines and Trident missiles.
Recent events
- 2018
Report identifies repeated near misses involving submerged submarines[1]
Regulation
A Marine Accident Investigation Branch report identified three near misses with civilian vessels over four years and cited inadequate appreciation of nearby surface traffic.
- 2018
National Audit Office highlights nuclear-submarine staffing shortages[1]
Other
The National Audit Office reported a shortage of skilled personnel in the Royal Navy’s nuclear workforce, affecting the wider submarine enterprise.
- 2011
Submarines launch first strikes of Operation Ellamy[1]
Other
HMS Triumph and HMS Turbulent fired Tomahawk missiles at targets in Libya during the international intervention.
- 2003
Royal Navy submarines support the invasion of Iraq[1]
Other
HMS Turbulent launched fourteen Tomahawk cruise missiles during the invasion of Iraq.
- 2001
Royal Navy submarines launch missiles during Operation Veritas[1]
Other
Trafalgar and Triumph took part in the opening strikes against al-Qaeda and Taliban targets following the September 11 attacks.
- 1999
HMS Splendid becomes first Royal Navy submarine to fire Tomahawk in combat[1]
Other · Product launch
During the Kosovo conflict, HMS Splendid launched a Tomahawk cruise missile in anger, marking a new land-attack role for the service.
- 1982
Royal Navy submarine service participates in Falklands War operations[1]
Other
HMS Conqueror sank the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano, while HMS Splendid and HMS Spartan monitored the Argentine carrier force without engaging it.
Sources2 sources
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