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{{Short description|1970 class of British fleet submarines}}
{|{{Infobox Ship Begin}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox Ship Image
{{Use British English|date=January 2015}}
|Ship image=]
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
|Ship caption=''Churchill'' class submarine HMS ''Conqueror''
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=]
|Ship caption=''Churchill''-class submarine HMS ''Conqueror''
}} }}
{{Infobox Ship Class Overview {{Infobox ship class overview
|Name= |Name=''Churchill'' class
|Builders=] |Builders=]
|Operators={{navy|UK}} |Operators={{navy|United Kingdom}}
|Class before=] |Class before={{sclass|Valiant|submarine|4}}
|Class after=] |Class after={{sclass|Swiftsure|submarine|4}}
|Subclasses= |Subclasses=
|Cost= |Cost=
|Built range= |Built range=
|In service range= 1970s - 1990s |In service range= 1970–1992
|In commission range= |In commission range=
|Total ships building= |Total ships building=
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|Total ships laid up= |Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost= |Total ships lost=
|Total ships retired=3
|Total ships retired=], ], ]
|Total ships preserved= |Total ships preserved=1
}} }}
{{Infobox Ship Characteristics {{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header= |Hide header=
|Header caption= |Header caption=
|Ship class= |Ship type=]
|Ship type=
|Ship tonnage=
|Ship displacement=4,900 tonnes |Ship displacement=4,900 tonnes
|Ship length={{convert|86.9|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship tons burthen=
|Ship length=86.9 m |Ship beam={{convert|10.1|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam=10.1 m
|Ship height= |Ship height=
|Ship draught=8.2 m |Ship draught={{convert|8.2|m|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft= |Ship draft=
|Ship depth=
|Ship hold depth=
|Ship decks=
|Ship deck clearance=
|Ship ramps=
|Ship ice class=
|Ship power= |Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=One nuclear reactor, one shaft |Ship propulsion=One nuclear reactor, one shaft
|Ship sail plan=
|Ship speed={{convert|28|kn|km/h|0}} submerged |Ship speed={{convert|28|kn|km/h|0}} submerged
|Ship range=Unlimited, except by food supplies |Ship range=Unlimited, except by food supplies
|Ship endurance= |Ship endurance=
|Ship test depth= |Ship test depth=
|Ship boats=
|Ship capacity=
|Ship troops=
|Ship complement=103 |Ship complement=103
|Ship crew=
|Ship time to activate=
|Ship sensors= |Ship sensors=
|Ship EW= |Ship EW=
|Ship armament=6 x 533 mm tubes capable of firing:<br>Mark 8 torpedoes<br>Tigerfish torpedoes<br>RN Sub Harpoon Missiles |Ship armament=*6 × {{convert|533|mm|in|abbr=on|0}} tubes capable of firing:
*]
|Ship armour=
*]
|Ship armor=
*]
|Ship aircraft=
|Ship aircraft facilities=
|Ship notes= |Ship notes=
}} }}
|} |}


The three '''''Churchill''-class submarines''' were ]ed fleet submarines which served with the ] from the 1970s until the early 1990s. The lead ship was named for the former ] ] and ] ]. The ''Churchill'' class was based on the older {{Sclass|Valiant|submarine|0}}, but featured many internal improvements. The three '''''Churchill'' class''',<ref name=Hoolp177>Hool, Jack, and Nutter, Keith, ''Damned Un-English Machines, a history of Barrow-built submarines'', pub Tempus, 2003, {{ISBN|0-7524-2781-4}} page 177.</ref> sometimes known as the '''Repeat ''Valiant''-class submarines''' were ] ]s which served with the ] from the 1970s until the early 1990s. The ''Churchill'' class was based on the older {{sclass|Valiant|submarine|4}}, but featured many internal improvements.


The ] was named after the former ] and ] ]. {{HMS|Conqueror|S48|6}} was the most famous of the class, sinking the Argentinian ] {{ship|ARA|General Belgrano}} during the 1982 ]. {{As of|2022}}, this is the ] of a nuclear-powered submarine of any nation sinking an enemy ship by torpedo.
The ''Churchills'' carried a crew of 103 and had a full load displacement of 4,900 tons whilst dived. They were 86.9 metres long, had a beam of 10.1 metres and a draught of 8.2 metres. Their single pressurized water cooled reactor supplied steam to two English Electric geared turbines, producing a total of 20,000 shp for the single shaft and resulting in a maximum of 28 ]s submerged. One Kelvin Type 1008 surface-search radar was fitted. The ships were built with a Type 2001 sonar array, but this was replaced in the late 1970s with a Type 2020 array and a Type 2026 towed array. Weapons included Mark 8 torpedoes, Mark 24 Tigerfish torpedoes, and ] ]s. Six {{convert|21|in|mm|0|sing=on}} torpedo tubes fired from the bow.


==Design==
Like all nuclear powered submarines the ''Churchill'' class could remain submerged almost indefinitely, with supplies of food being the only limiting factor.

The ''Churchill''s carried a crew of 103 and had a full load ] of 4,900 tons whilst dived. They were {{convert|86.9|m|ftin}} long, had a ] of {{convert|10.1|m|ftin}} and a ] of {{convert|8.2|m|ftin}}. Their single pressurized ] reactor supplied steam to two ] geared ]s, producing a total of {{convert|20000|shp|lk=on}} for the single shaft and resulting in a maximum of {{convert|28|kn|km/h|lk=in}} submerged. Like all nuclear-powered submarines the ''Churchill'' class could remain submerged almost indefinitely, with supplies of food being the only limiting factor. One Kelvin Type 1006 surface-search radar was fitted. The ships were built with a Type 2001 sonar array, but this was replaced in the late 1970s with a Type 2020 array and a Type 2026 towed array. Weapons included ], ], and ] ]s. Six {{convert|21|in|mm|0|adj=on}} torpedo tubes fired from the bow.


HMS ''Churchill'' evaluated both the American ] and the ] missile, though only the latter was adopted by the Royal Navy. She was decommissioned in 1990 and is laid up at Rosyth awaiting disposal. HMS ''Churchill'' evaluated both the American ] and the ] missile, though only the latter was adopted by the Royal Navy. She was decommissioned in 1990 and is laid up at Rosyth awaiting disposal.


In 1981 {{HMS|Courageous|S50|6}} became the first British submarine to carry the Sub-Harpoon missile. She was decommissioned in 1992 and is at Devonport Dockyard serving as a ].
{{HMS|Conqueror|S48|6}} was the most famous of the class, sinking the ] cruiser ] during the ]. Although she did not fire again during the war, she did provide valuable help to the British task force by using her monitoring equipment to track Argentine aircraft departing the mainland. After the war ''Conqueror'' returned to Faslane; the sinking of the Belgrano had provoked some controversy in Britain and ''Conqueror's'' crew were criticised for flying the ] as she returned to port, a customary act of Royal Navy submarines after a mission on which a "kill" has been scored. As of 2006, she was the only nuclear powered submarine to have engaged an enemy ship with torpedoes. She was decommissioned in 1990 and is laid up at ] awaiting disposal. The ''Conqueror's'' periscope can be viewed at the Royal Navy's museum in ].


==Construction Programme==
In 1981, {{HMS|Courageous|S50|6}} became the first British submarine to carry the Sub-Harpoon missile. She was decommissioned in 1992 and is at Devonport Dockyard serving as a ].
{|class="wikitable" style="font-size:97%;"
|-valign=top
! | ]
! | Name
! | (a) Hull builder<br />(b) Main machinery manufacturers
! | Ordered
! | Laid down
! | Launched
! | Accepted<br />into service
! | Commissioned
! | Decommissioned
! | Estimated building cost<ref>"Unit cost, i.e. excluding cost of certain items (e.g. aircraft, First Outfits)." Text from ''Defences Estimates''</ref>
|-valign=top
| | S46
| | {{HMS|Churchill|S46|2}}
| | (a) Vickers Ltd, Shipbuilding Group, Barrow-in-Furness <br />(b) Vickers Ltd, Engineering Group, Barrow-in-Furness<br />(b) English Electric Co Ltd (turbines).<ref name=DE1971>''Defence Estimates, 1971–72'', page XII-81, ''Table V: List and particulars of new ships which have been accepted or are expected to be accepted into HM service during the Financial Year ended 31st March 1971''</ref>
| | 21 October 1965<ref name=Janes1982p547>Moore, John, ''Janes Fighting Ships 1982–83'', pub Jane's Publishing, 1982, {{ISBN|0-7106-0742-3}} page 547.</ref>
| | 30 June 1967<ref name=Conwaysp530>Gardiner, Robert ''Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995'', pub Conway Maritime Press, 1995, {{ISBN|0-85177-605-1}} page 530.</ref>
| | 20 December 1968<ref name=Conwaysp530/>
| | July 1970<ref name=DE1971/>
| | 15 July 1970<ref name=Conwaysp530/>
| | 28 February 1991
| | £24,780,000<ref name=DE1971/>
|-valign=top
| | S48
| | {{HMS|Conqueror|S48|2}}
| | (a) Cammell Laird & Co (Shipbuilders and Engineers) Ltd, Birkenhead <br />(b) Vickers Ltd, Engineering Group, Barrow-in-Furness<br />(b) English Electric Co Ltd (turbines).<ref name=DE1972>''Defence Estimates, 1972–73'', page XII-92, ''Table V: List and particulars of new ships which have been accepted or are expected to be accepted into HM service during the Financial Year ended 31st March 1971''</ref>
| | 9 August 1966<ref name=Janes1982p547/>
| | 5 December 1967<ref name=Conwaysp530/>
| | 28 August 1969<ref name=Conwaysp530/>
| | November 1971<ref name=DE1972/>
| | 9 November 1971<ref name=Conwaysp530/>
| | 2 August 1990
| | £29,319,000<ref name=DE1972/>
|-valign=top
| | S50
| | {{HMS|Courageous|S50|2}}<br>(ex-''Superb'')<ref name=Conwaysp530/>
| | (a) Vickers Ltd, Shipbuilding Group, Barrow-in-Furness <br />(b) Vickers Ltd, Engineering Group, Barrow-in-Furness<br />(b) English Electric Co Ltd (turbines).<ref name=DE1972/>
| | 1 March 1967<ref name=Janes1982p547/>
| | 15 June 1968<ref name=Conwaysp530/>
| | 7 March 1970<ref name=Conwaysp530/>
| | November 1971<ref name=DE1972/>
| | 16 October 1971<ref name=Conwaysp530/>
| | 10 April 1992
| | £24,858,000<ref name=DE1972/>
|-
|}

==Service history==
{{HMS|Conqueror|S48|6}} was the most famous of the class, sinking the Argentinian ] {{ship|ARA|General Belgrano}} during the 1982 ]. She did not fire again during the war, but provided valuable help to the British ] by using her monitoring equipment to track Argentine aircraft departing the mainland. After the war ''Conqueror'' returned to ]; the sinking of ''General Belgrano'' had provoked controversy in Britain and ''Conqueror'' was criticised{{by whom|date=September 2023}} for flying the ] on returning to port, as Royal Navy submarines customarily did on returning after scoring a kill.{{cn|date=September 2023}} She {{As of|2010|alt=is}} the only nuclear-powered submarine of any nationality to have engaged an enemy ship with torpedoes. She was decommissioned in 1990 and {{As of|2010|lc=on}} is laid up at ] awaiting disposal. ''Conqueror''{{'}}s ]s can be viewed at the ] in ].<ref>Kemp, Paul (2006). ''Submarine action''. Sutton, p. 68. {{ISBN|0-7509-1711-3}}</ref>

==See also==
* ]

==Cited footnotes==
{{commons category|Churchill class submarines}}
{{reflist}}


{{Churchill class submarine}} {{Churchill class submarine}}
{{UK submarine classes after 1945}}


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] ]
] ]
] ]

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Latest revision as of 10:16, 10 August 2024

1970 class of British fleet submarines

HMS ConquerorChurchill-class submarine HMS Conqueror
Class overview
NameChurchill class
BuildersVickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd
Operators Royal Navy
Preceded byValiant class
Succeeded bySwiftsure class
In service1970–1992
Completed3
Retired3
Preserved1
General characteristics
TypeSubmarine
Displacement4,900 tonnes
Length86.9 m (285 ft)
Beam10.1 m (33 ft)
Draught8.2 m (27 ft)
PropulsionOne nuclear reactor, one shaft
Speed28 knots (52 km/h) submerged
RangeUnlimited, except by food supplies
Complement103
Armament

The three Churchill class, sometimes known as the Repeat Valiant-class submarines were nuclear-powered fleet submarines which served with the Royal Navy from the 1970s until the early 1990s. The Churchill class was based on the older Valiant class, but featured many internal improvements.

The lead vessel was named after the former Prime Minister and First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill. HMS Conqueror was the most famous of the class, sinking the Argentinian cruiser ARA General Belgrano during the 1982 Falklands War. As of 2022, this is the only instance of a nuclear-powered submarine of any nation sinking an enemy ship by torpedo.

Design

The Churchills carried a crew of 103 and had a full load displacement of 4,900 tons whilst dived. They were 86.9 metres (285 ft 1 in) long, had a beam of 10.1 metres (33 ft 2 in) and a draught of 8.2 metres (26 ft 11 in). Their single pressurized water-cooled reactor supplied steam to two English Electric geared turbines, producing a total of 20,000 shaft horsepower (15,000 kW) for the single shaft and resulting in a maximum of 28 knots (52 km/h) submerged. Like all nuclear-powered submarines the Churchill class could remain submerged almost indefinitely, with supplies of food being the only limiting factor. One Kelvin Type 1006 surface-search radar was fitted. The ships were built with a Type 2001 sonar array, but this was replaced in the late 1970s with a Type 2020 array and a Type 2026 towed array. Weapons included Mk VIII torpedoes, Mk 24 Tigerfish torpedoes, and Sub-Harpoon anti-ship missiles. Six 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes fired from the bow.

HMS Churchill evaluated both the American Mark 48 torpedo and the UGM-84 Harpoon missile, though only the latter was adopted by the Royal Navy. She was decommissioned in 1990 and is laid up at Rosyth awaiting disposal.

In 1981 HMS Courageous became the first British submarine to carry the Sub-Harpoon missile. She was decommissioned in 1992 and is at Devonport Dockyard serving as a museum ship.

Construction Programme

Pennant Name (a) Hull builder
(b) Main machinery manufacturers 		Ordered Laid down Launched Accepted
into service 		Commissioned Decommissioned Estimated building cost
S46 Churchill (a) Vickers Ltd, Shipbuilding Group, Barrow-in-Furness
(b) Vickers Ltd, Engineering Group, Barrow-in-Furness
(b) English Electric Co Ltd (turbines). 		21 October 1965 30 June 1967 20 December 1968 July 1970 15 July 1970 28 February 1991 £24,780,000
S48 Conqueror (a) Cammell Laird & Co (Shipbuilders and Engineers) Ltd, Birkenhead
(b) Vickers Ltd, Engineering Group, Barrow-in-Furness
(b) English Electric Co Ltd (turbines). 		9 August 1966 5 December 1967 28 August 1969 November 1971 9 November 1971 2 August 1990 £29,319,000
S50 Courageous
(ex-Superb) 		(a) Vickers Ltd, Shipbuilding Group, Barrow-in-Furness
(b) Vickers Ltd, Engineering Group, Barrow-in-Furness
(b) English Electric Co Ltd (turbines). 		1 March 1967 15 June 1968 7 March 1970 November 1971 16 October 1971 10 April 1992 £24,858,000

Service history

HMS Conqueror was the most famous of the class, sinking the Argentinian cruiser ARA General Belgrano during the 1982 Falklands War. She did not fire again during the war, but provided valuable help to the British task force by using her monitoring equipment to track Argentine aircraft departing the mainland. After the war Conqueror returned to Faslane; the sinking of General Belgrano had provoked controversy in Britain and Conqueror was criticised for flying the Jolly Roger on returning to port, as Royal Navy submarines customarily did on returning after scoring a kill. She is the only nuclear-powered submarine of any nationality to have engaged an enemy ship with torpedoes. She was decommissioned in 1990 and as of 2010 is laid up at Devonport awaiting disposal. Conqueror's periscopes can be viewed at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Gosport.

See also

Cited footnotes

  1. Hool, Jack, and Nutter, Keith, Damned Un-English Machines, a history of Barrow-built submarines, pub Tempus, 2003, ISBN 0-7524-2781-4 page 177.
  2. "Unit cost, i.e. excluding cost of certain items (e.g. aircraft, First Outfits)." Text from Defences Estimates
  3. ^ Defence Estimates, 1971–72, page XII-81, Table V: List and particulars of new ships which have been accepted or are expected to be accepted into HM service during the Financial Year ended 31st March 1971
  4. ^ Moore, John, Janes Fighting Ships 1982–83, pub Jane's Publishing, 1982, ISBN 0-7106-0742-3 page 547.
  5. ^ Gardiner, Robert Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995, pub Conway Maritime Press, 1995, ISBN 0-85177-605-1 page 530.
  6. ^ Defence Estimates, 1972–73, page XII-92, Table V: List and particulars of new ships which have been accepted or are expected to be accepted into HM service during the Financial Year ended 31st March 1971
  7. Kemp, Paul (2006). Submarine action. Sutton, p. 68. ISBN 0-7509-1711-3
Churchill-class submarines
UK submarine classes after 1945
Nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines
Nuclear-powered attack submarines
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