UK sails three nuclear submarines at once for first time in five years

Three of the United Kingdom's four nuclear deterrent submarines are operating at sea simultaneously for the first time in five years. The Times reported the finding on Wednesday, noting that at least one of the vessels is armed with ballistic missiles carrying nuclear warheads.

The active boats are HMS Vanguard, HMS Vigilant, and HMS Vengeance. All three belong to the Vanguard class. The fourth submarine in the fleet, HMS Victorious, is currently in a shipyard for maintenance. A navy source described the concurrent deployment as unusual but provided no additional details on the specific mission parameters.

Navy Lookout, an independent publication covering the Royal Navy, explains the operational status of each vessel. It states that one submarine is likely preparing to relieve the boat currently on patrol. A second is probably undergoing sea trials or work-up activity. The publication notes that a missile-carrying submarine has been at sea without interruption since 1969.

Long-duration patrols are a standard part of the service. HMS Vanguard spent 200 days at sea last year. That duration fell one week short of the longest known deployment, which HMS Victorious completed in 2021 over 207 days.

The current deployment has sparked debate about Britain's defense posture. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting warned last week that the country must be prepared for war. Writing in the Telegraph on Saturday, he stated that Britain must be ready within 1,000 days. He argued that by 2030, potential adversaries could possess the force strength and war economy to launch an attack.

A spokesperson for the defence ministry called the nuclear deterrent the cornerstone of national security. The official added that the UK remains the only European ally that commits its nuclear deterrent to NATO's defense, meaning all NATO allies benefit from the arrangement.

This activity follows other recent defense moves. British and French fighter jets completed their first joint exercise involving France's airborne nuclear capability last week. French Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin said that having independent nuclear forces does not preclude coordination. She noted that nuclear cooperation with the UK continues to deepen. These signals also follow the launch of the government's Be Ready campaign, which urges households to stockpile three days' worth of food, water, cash, and a wind-up radio.