Housing Trident

Published on 29/10/2012 00:00

As THE discussion about the 
Trident nuclear submarines continues, the assertion that there is nowhere else to site them is accepted without question. But is this so?

At present, HMS Vengeance is receiving her long overhaul in HMNB Devonport. It was chosen in the 1990s to be the main refit base, despite Rosyth having performed that service for Polaris submarines.

Looking at the present navy lists and comparing them with 50 years ago, there is now a much smaller number of active ships. Even allowing for the closing of other bases in the intervening years, there is still plenty of capacity at HMNB Portsmouth and HMNB Devonport. With a reshuffle of home ports, surely there would be capacity for the normal maximum number of two boats (one is always at sea and usually one in refit) at Devonport?

With the Trafalgar class already based there, Devonport has nuclear submarine propulsion experience. Or is it that the population of the Clyde is more expendable in a first strike than the population of Plymouth?

Bruce D Skivington

Paic a Ghliob

Strath, Gairloch, Wester Ross