HMS Turbulent (S87)

Last updated

Royal Navy Submarine HMS Turbulent with a Merlin Helicopter from HMS St Albans MOD 45153520.jpg
HMS Turbulent (S87), 2011
History
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svgUnited Kingdom
NameHMS Turbulent
Ordered28 July 1978
Builder Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering, Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down8 May 1980
Launched1 December 1982
Sponsored by Lady Cassidi
Commissioned28 April 1984
Decommissioned14 July 2012
Homeport HMNB Devonport, Plymouth [1]
Identification Pennant number: S87
StatusAwaiting disposal
NotesNicknamed "Turbs" [2]
Badge HMS Turbulent crest.jpg
General characteristics [1]
Class and type Trafalgar-classsubmarine
Displacement
  • Surfaced: 4,500 to 4,800 t (4,700 long tons; 5,300 short tons) [3]
  • Submerged: 5,200 to 5,300 t (5,200 long tons; 5,800 short tons) [3]
Length85.4 m (280 ft) [3]
Beam9.8 m (32 ft) [3]
Draught9.5 m (31 ft) [3]
Propulsion
SpeedOver 30 knots (56 km/h), submerged [3]
RangeUnlimited [3]
Complement130 [3]
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • 2 × SSE Mk8 launchers for Type 2066 and Type 2071 torpedo decoys
  • RESM Racal UAP passive intercept
  • CESM Outfit CXA
  • SAWCS decoys carried from 2002
Armament
  • 5 × 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes with stowage for up to 30 weapons:

HMS Turbulent is a retired Trafalgar-class submarine of the Royal Navy and the second vessel of her class. Turbulent was the fifth vessel, and second submarine, of the Royal Navy to bear this name. She was built by Vickers Shipbuilding, Barrow-in-Furness, and based at HMNB Devonport. She was commissioned in 1984 and decommissioned in July 2012. She was stripped of equipment and now awaits dismantling in number 3 Basin at Devonport.

Contents

Originally intended to hunt down Soviet missile submarines, after the end of the Cold War Turbulent spent more time on intelligence gathering missions and landing commando units, as well as firing Tomahawk missiles during the 2003 Iraq war. [2]

Operational history

Turbulent undertook a modernisation program and first nuclear refuelling in 1997.

2003 War in Iraq

Turbulent took part in the 2003 invasion of Iraq, firing thirty Tomahawk cruise missiles during the campaign. On 16 April 2003 she was the first Royal Navy vessel to return home from the war. Turbulent arrived in Plymouth flying the Jolly Roger, a tradition in the Royal Navy signifying having fired weapons in anger. [1]

2011 Military Intervention in Libya

Turbulent left Devonport in February 2011 for a 268-day [2] deployment East of Suez, which was due to be her final before decommissioning. The deployment saw her operating in the Gulf of Sidra relieving HMS Triumph as part of the British contribution to the Libya intervention. She was then herself relieved by Triumph, before heading through the Suez Canal in June to take up patrol in the Indian Ocean. The boat called into the port of Fujairah, where she rendezvoused with the support ship RFA Diligence. Turbulent returned to Devonport on 14 December 2011, having spent 190 days of her 267-day deployment underwater and travelling more than 38,000 miles [5] [6] A documentary called Royal Navy Submarine Mission on Channel 5 featured Turbulent during this 2011 deployment. [2]

During this deployment, just after sailing from Fujairah on 26 May, Turbulent suffered a catastrophic failure of her air-conditioning systems, while on the surface. Internal temperatures quickly rose to 60 °C with 100% humidity, and caused 26 casualties, mainly from heat exhaustion, eight of which were life-threatening. With ambient temperatures in the Indian Ocean at 42 °C, surface ventilation was ineffective and the submarine was only effectively cooled by diving to 200 metres. The cause was later found to be blockage of water inlet pipes by barnacles during an extended stay at Fujairah. The incident was only made public in 2014. [7] [8]

2012 South Atlantic deployment

Turbulent was scheduled to be decommissioned at the end of 2011. [1] In February 2012 it was reported that either Turbulent or HMS Tireless was being deployed to the Falkland Islands amid increasing tension between Argentina and the United Kingdom over sovereignty of the islands. [9] Commander Nick Wheeler took command in December 2011 [10] until decommissioning on 14 July 2012. [2] She is now being stripped of equipment and will await dismantling in 3 Basin at Devonport Dockyard, Plymouth. [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Swiftsure</i>-class submarine

The Swiftsure class was a class of nuclear-powered fleet submarines in service with the Royal Navy from the early 1970s until 2010.

<i>Trafalgar</i>-class submarine

The Trafalgar class is a class of nuclear-powered fleet submarines (SSNs) in service with the Royal Navy, and the successor to the Swiftsure class. Like the majority of Royal Navy nuclear submarines, all seven boats were constructed at Barrow-in-Furness shipyard, Cumbria. With only one boat remaining active and in commission and six retired from the seven originally in service, the class makes up part of the Royal Navy's nuclear-powered ‘hunter-killer’ submarine force. The Trafalgar class is being gradually replaced by the larger and more capable Astute class, of which five are currently commissioned.

HMS <i>Astute</i> (S119) Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Astute is an operational nuclear-powered attack submarine in the Royal Navy, the lead boat of her class.

HMS <i>Splendid</i> (S106) Submarine of the Royal Navy decommissioned in 2004

HMS Splendid was a Royal Navy nuclear-powered fleet submarine of the Swiftsure class. From commissioning in 1979 to her decommission in 2004 she took part in many operations involving British forces around the globe.

HMS <i>Triumph</i> (S93) Trafalgar-class nuclear submarine

HMS Triumph is a Trafalgar-class nuclear submarine of the Royal Navy and was the seventh and final boat of her class. She is the nineteenth nuclear-powered hunter-killer submarine built for the Royal Navy. Triumph is the tenth vessel, and the second submarine to bear the name. The first HMS Triumph was a 68-gun galleon built in 1561.

HMS <i>Sheffield</i> (F96) Type 22 frigate

HMS Sheffield is a Type 22 frigate originally in service with the British Royal Navy. Initially it was meant to be called Bruiser but was named Sheffield in honour of the previous Sheffield, a Type 42 destroyer sunk in the Falklands War. Entering service in 1988, Sheffield served with the Royal Navy until 2002. In 2003, the vessel was acquired by the Chilean Navy and renamed Almirante Williams. The frigate is currently in service with the Chilean Navy.

HMS <i>Trafalgar</i> (S107) Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Trafalgar is a decommissioned Trafalgar-class submarine of the Royal Navy. Unlike the rest of the Trafalgar-class boats that followed, she was not launched with a pump-jet propulsion system, but with a conventional 7-bladed propeller. Trafalgar was the fifth vessel of the Royal Navy to bear the name, after the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar.

HMS <i>Tireless</i> (S88) Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Tireless was the third Trafalgar-class nuclear submarine of the Royal Navy. Tireless is the second submarine of the Royal Navy to bear this name. Launched in March 1984, Tireless was sponsored by Sue Squires, wife of Admiral 'Tubby' Squires, and commissioned in October 1985.

HMS <i>Torbay</i> (S90) Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Torbay is a decommissioned Trafalgar-class nuclear submarine of the Royal Navy and the fourth vessel of her class. Torbay was the fifth vessel and the second submarine of the Royal Navy to be named after Torbay in Devon, England. The first vessel was the 80-gun second rate HMS Torbay launched in 1693.

HMS <i>Trenchant</i> (S91) Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Trenchant was a Trafalgar-class nuclear-powered fleet submarine of the Royal Navy built by Vickers Shipbuilding, Barrow-in-Furness. Trenchant was based at HMNB Devonport. She was the third vessel and the second submarine of the Royal Navy to be named for the characteristic of vigour and incisiveness.

HMS <i>Talent</i> (S92) Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Talent was the sixth of seven Trafalgar-class nuclear submarines of the Royal Navy, and was built at Barrow-in-Furness. Talent was launched by The Princess Royal in April 1988 and commissioned in May 1990. The boat is affiliated with Shrewsbury in Shropshire. Talent is the third submarine of the Royal Navy to bear the name. The first was the World War II Talent, a T-class submarine transferred to the Royal Netherlands Navy as HNLMS Zwaardvisch in 1943.

HMS <i>Ambush</i> (S120) Astute-class nuclear-powered fleet submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Ambush is an Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarine of the Royal Navy, the second boat of her class.

HMS Artful is the third Astute-class nuclear-powered fleet submarine of the British Royal Navy. She is the second submarine of the Royal Navy to bear this name. Artful was ordered from GEC's Marconi Marine on 17 March 1997, and was constructed at Barrow in Furness. She was named on 20 September 2013, was rolled out of the shipyard construction hall on 16 May 2014, and was due to start sea trials in early 2015. Artful made her first successful basin dive in October 2014, and sailed on 13 August 2015 for sea trials. Artful was handed over the Royal Navy on 14 December 2015, and commissioned on 18 March 2016.

HMS <i>Superb</i> (S109) Submarine of the Royal Navy

HMS Superb was a nuclear-powered fleet submarine of the Swiftsure class serving in the Royal Navy.

The fifth HMS Sceptre is a Swiftsure-class submarine built by Vickers in Barrow-in-Furness. She was launched in 1976, with a bottle of cider against her hull. She was commissioned on 14 February 1978, by Lady Audrey White. She was the tenth nuclear fleet submarine to enter service with the Royal Navy. She was decommissioned on 10 December 2010, at which time she was the oldest commissioned vessel in the Royal Navy still available for service; in total around 1,500 men served aboard during her commission. In theory, she is replaced by the first Astute-class submarine in service, HMS Astute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Standing Royal Navy deployments</span>

Standing Royal Navy deployments is a list of operations and commitments undertaken by the United Kingdom's Royal Navy on a worldwide basis. The following list details these commitments and deployments sorted by region and in alphabetical order. Routine deployments made by the Navy's nuclear-powered submarines and their location of operations is classified.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Navy Submarine Service</span> Military unit

The Royal Navy Submarine Service is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. It is sometimes known as the Silent Service, as submarines are generally required to operate undetected.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HMNB Devonport</span> Operating base in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy

His Majesty's Naval Base, Devonport is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy and is the sole nuclear repair and refuelling facility for the Royal Navy. The largest naval base in Western Europe, HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth, England.

HMS Anson is the fifth Astute-class nuclear-powered fleet submarine of the Royal Navy. She is the eighth vessel of the Royal Navy to bear the name, after Admiral George Anson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Active Royal Navy weapon systems</span>

This is a list of Active Royal Navy weapon systems.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Trafalgar-class Archived 29 April 2014 at the Wayback Machine , www.royalnavy.mod.uk
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "No more Turbulent times in the Silent Service as submarine prepares to decommission". Royal Navy. 11 July 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Bush, Steve (2014). British Warships and Auxiliaries. Maritime Books. p. 12. ISBN   1904459552.
  4. ↑ "US study of reactor and fuel types to enable naval reactors to shift from HEU fuel". International Panel on Fissile Missiles. 10 April 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  5. ↑ "HMS Turbulent serenaded home by Military Wives Choir - Announcements - GOV.UK". www.gov.uk.
  6. ↑ "Royal Navy decommissions Trafalgar submarine HMS Turbulent". BBC News.
  7. ↑ Nichols, Tristan (4 June 2014). "Horror on board Plymouth nuclear submarine as crew battles to survive". Plymouth Herald. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  8. ↑ "HMS Turbulent submarine crew hit by heat exhaustion". BBC News. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  9. ↑ Post, PA/The Huffington (4 February 2012). "Royal Navy 'Sends Nuclear Submarine To Falklands'". huffingtonpost.co.uk.
  10. ↑ "HMS Turbulent". Royal Navy. Retrieved 28 December 2013.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.