Four months later, Vanguard returns

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Four months after sustaining "minor damage" in a collision, HMS Vanguard is back in service, the MoD has confirmed.

"I can confirm that HMS Vanguard has returned to operational service following repair work at Her Majesty's Naval Clyde," Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth told MPs in a written answer yesterday.

HMS Vanguard collided with its French counterpart Le Triomphant in February off the western coast of France. MoD officials said that only "minor damage" had been sustained, but eyewitnesses at Faslane naval base reported seeing the sub in poor condition when it limped back to port a few days after the incident. One eyewitness said that there were major scrapes, dents and marks all over the hull of the sub.

The MoD has never fully explained what happened in February. Vanguard class submarines operate in a stealthy manner in order to not be seen on sonar. It is possible that the stealth technology of the two submarines cancelled each other out and the crews simply did not see each other.

French officials however said after the incident that the Le Triomphant's sonar dome was destroyed and that the vessel needed significant dry dock repairs.

Vanguard is one of four subs in Britain's nuclear deterrent fleet. With HMS Vanguard out of action, the number of submarines fit for duty had been reduced to two since HMS Vigilant is undergoing major refit work.