| Revision as of 14:01, 20 July 2008 edit213.123.187.66 (talk) change tense now she is withdrawn← Previous edit | Revision as of 16:44, 28 July 2008 edit undo86.152.96.216 (talk)No edit summaryNext edit → | ||
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|Ship status= Damaged, Docked at Devonport | ||
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| {{otherships|HMS Superb}} | {{otherships|HMS Superb}} | ||
| '''HMS ''Superb'' (S109)''' is a nuclear powered fleet ] of the ] |
'''HMS ''Superb'' (S109)''' is a nuclear powered fleet ] of the ] serving in the ]. | ||
| She was built by ] Shipbuilding Groups, now a division of ] Submarine Solutions. HMS ''Superb'' was launched on ], ] at ], ] and commissioned into the Royal Navy on ], ]. | |||
| In May 2008 Superb was damaged hitting an underwater pinnacle in the Red Sea, she returned (surfaced) to Devonport, where she lies, her short term fate unclear. Prior to this incident she was planned to be decommissioned in 2009. | |||
| ''Superb'''s most recentCO was Cdr Steve Drysdale RN, who assumed command of the boat in December 2006. Cdr Drysdale formerly served as Executive Officer aboard ] (Port) and briefly as commander of both ] and ] prior to their disposal. | |||
| ==Operations== | ==Operations== | ||
| She was the first British submarine to visit the ] and sail under the polar ice caps. | |||
| During the ], ''Superb'' was spotted sailing from ], which |
During the ], ''Superb'' was spotted sailing from ], which prompted press speculation that she was sailing to the ] to enforce a maritime exclusion zone. In fact, only ] was sailing south at that time but the speculation was useful to promote the apparent threat of the Royal Navy in the South Atlantic and was not corrected by the Navy or MoD. | ||
| In support of the ] in 2001, HMS ''Superb'' operated in the Indian Ocean. | In support of the ] in 2001, HMS ''Superb'' operated in the Indian Ocean. | ||
| In 2007, ''Superb'' successfully completed training manoeuvres off the Scottish coast, engaging with HMS ''Daring'', a brand new Type 45 destroyer.<ref>http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.9979</ref> | In 2007, ''Superb'' successfully completed training manoeuvres off the Scottish coast, engaging with HMS ''Daring'', a brand new Type 45 destroyer.<ref>http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.9979</ref> | ||
| ==Incidents== | |||
| In January 2008 a sentry was found sleeping while on watch, the reprimand to the crew was caught on video.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7432732.stm |title=MoD acts over submarine incident |publisher=BBC |date=2008-06-03 |accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref>. | In January 2008 a sentry was found sleeping while on watch, the reprimand to the crew was caught on video.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/7432732.stm |title=MoD acts over submarine incident |publisher=BBC |date=2008-06-03 |accessdate=2008-06-03}}</ref>. | ||
| On ] ], the ''Superb'' hit an underwater pinnacle in the ], 80 miles south of the ]. None of the 112 crew were injured and only her sonar equipment was damaged, forcing her to resurface. She remained watertight though was unable to submerge due to the damage to her sonar.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7422774.stm |title=UK submarine hits Red Sea rocks |publisher=BBC |date=2008-05-27 |accessdate=2008-05-27}}</ref> After undertaking initial repairs at the Souda Bay NATO base on Crete on ] ], she passed through the ], stopping at sea some miles off ] to offload some crew in the dead of night before continuing on to Devonport Dockyard on ] ], and may still return to her homeport, Faslane, in due course.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUKL2837249820080628 |title=Damaged Royal Navy sub returns home |publisher=Reuters |date=2008-06-28 |accessdate=2008-06-29}}</ref> | |||
| It is unlikely that Superb will be repaired and returned to active service as she was due to be decommissioned in ] anyway, prior to the grounding incident. | |||
| On ] ], the ''Superb'' hit an underwater pinnacle in the ], 80 miles south of the ]. | |||
| Following on from the Red sea incident it was revealed in July that the damage was not just to the sonar equipment and included a seriously damaged hull. | |||
| She remained watertight, and none of the 112 crew were injured, however she was unable to resubmerge due to damage to her sonar.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7422774.stm |title=UK submarine hits Red Sea rocks |publisher=BBC |date=2008-05-27 |accessdate=2008-05-27}}</ref> | |||
| The submarine has been taken out of service and is now awaiting decommissioning at the Devonport dockyard along with six other redundant nuclear attack submarines. | |||
| After undertaking initial repairs at the Souda Bay NATO base on Crete on ] ], she passed through the ], with a pause (at night) some miles off ] to disembark some less critical crew. | |||
| Superb then continued back to the UK, arriving at Devonport Dockyard on ] ] where she remains. | |||
| It was revealed in July 2008 that the damage was more widespread than initially reported, and was not limited to the sonar equipment but included serious hull damage. It is possible that Superb will not be repaired and returned to active service as, prior to the grounding incident, she was approching the end of her service and was expected to be decommissioned in ].{{Fact|date=July 2008}} | |||
| ==Crest and Affiliations== | ==Crest and Affiliations== | ||
Revision as of 16:44, 28 July 2008
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 UK | |
| Name | HMS Superb |
| Operator | Royal Navy |
| Ordered | 20 May 1970 |
| Builder | Vickers |
| Laid down | 16 March 1972 |
| Launched | 17 February 1973 |
| Commissioned | 11 July 1974 |
| Decommissioned | expected 2008/9 |
| Homeport | Faslane |
| Motto | With Strength and Courage |
| Nickname(s) | Super B |
| Status | Damaged, Docked at Devonport |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Swiftsure-class submarine |
| Displacement | 4,900 tonnes (dived) |
| Length | 82.9 metres |
| Beam | 9.8 metres |
| Draught | 8.5 metres |
| Propulsion | One Rolls-Royce pressurised water nuclear reactor (PWR1) |
| Speed | In excess of 20 knots (37 km/h), dived |
| Complement | 116 officers and men |
| Armament | list error: <br /> list (help) 5 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes Spearfish torpedoes RN Sub Harpoon missiles |
HMS Superb (S109) is a nuclear powered fleet submarine of the Swiftsure class serving in the Royal Navy.
She was built by Vickers Shipbuilding Groups, now a division of BAE Systems Submarine Solutions. HMS Superb was launched on February 17, 1973 at Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria and commissioned into the Royal Navy on July 11, 1974.
In May 2008 Superb was damaged hitting an underwater pinnacle in the Red Sea, she returned (surfaced) to Devonport, where she lies, her short term fate unclear. Prior to this incident she was planned to be decommissioned in 2009.
Operations
She was the first British submarine to visit the Arctic Ocean and sail under the polar ice caps.
During the Falklands War, Superb was spotted sailing from Gibraltar, which prompted press speculation that she was sailing to the South Atlantic to enforce a maritime exclusion zone. In fact, only HMS Spartan was sailing south at that time but the speculation was useful to promote the apparent threat of the Royal Navy in the South Atlantic and was not corrected by the Navy or MoD.
In support of the war against terror in 2001, HMS Superb operated in the Indian Ocean.
In 2007, Superb successfully completed training manoeuvres off the Scottish coast, engaging with HMS Daring, a brand new Type 45 destroyer.
In January 2008 a sentry was found sleeping while on watch, the reprimand to the crew was caught on video..
On 26 May 2008, the Superb hit an underwater pinnacle in the Red Sea, 80 miles south of the Suez Canal.
She remained watertight, and none of the 112 crew were injured, however she was unable to resubmerge due to damage to her sonar.
After undertaking initial repairs at the Souda Bay NATO base on Crete on 10 June 2008, she passed through the Mediterranean, with a pause (at night) some miles off Gibraltar to disembark some less critical crew.
Superb then continued back to the UK, arriving at Devonport Dockyard on 28 June 2008 where she remains.
It was revealed in July 2008 that the damage was more widespread than initially reported, and was not limited to the sonar equipment but included serious hull damage. It is possible that Superb will not be repaired and returned to active service as, prior to the grounding incident, she was approching the end of her service and was expected to be decommissioned in 2009.
Crest and Affiliations
Superb's official crest depicts a heraldic lion with an anchor superimposed. This was the family crest of Sir Richard Keats who commanded a previous vessel of the name during the Napoleonic wars. However, throughout the Navy she is known as Super B, and there is an unofficial crest depicting a superhero bumblebee.
Superb is affiliated with The Royal Dragoon Guards.
References
- http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/ConWebDoc.9979
- "MoD acts over submarine incident". BBC. 2008-06-03. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
- "UK submarine hits Red Sea rocks". BBC. 2008-05-27. Retrieved 2008-05-27.
External links
| Swiftsure-class submarines | |
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