HMS Swiftsure (decom.) (Rosyth)

 military, nuclear submarine

Builder: Vickers
Launched: 7 September 1971
Commissioned: 17 April 1973
Decommissioned: 1992 awaiting disposal

HMS Swiftsure (S126) was the lead ship of her class of nuclear fleet submarines. HMS Swiftsure was decommissioned in 1992 due to damage suffered to the pressure hull during trials.The Swiftsure class were a class of nuclear-powered fleet submarines (SSN) in service with the Royal Navy from the early 1970s until 2010.

Six boats were built and commissioned. HMS Splendid was decommissioned next in 2004 after defence cuts caused a reduction in the size of the RN SSN fleet. Spartan was decommissioned in January 2006, with Sovereign following on 12 September 2006. Superb was decommissioned on 26 September 2008. The remaining boat in the class, Sceptre, was decommissioned in December 2010. They are being replaced by the Astute-class submarines.

A few were upgraded with the capability to launch Tomahawk cruise missiles in addition to their original armaments of torpedoes, mines and anti-ship missiles. They were also the first class of Royal Navy submarines to be fitted "as built" with a shrouded pump-jet propulsor, although the Swiftsure itself was the only one which never had this propulsion system fitted.

www.military-today.com/navy/swiftsure_class.htm