HMS Vigilant (S30)

HMS Vigilant is the third Vanguard-class submarine of the Royal Navy. Vigilant carries the Trident ballistic missile, the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent.

Vigilant was built at Barrow-in-Furness by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd (now BAE Systems Submarine Solutions), was launched in October 1995, and commissioned in November 1996.

Peter Hennessy reporting for the Today programme on BBC Radio 4, reported from Vigilant on 28 December 2007. He reported that there is a grey safe in the control room that has an inner safe that only the commanding officer and executive officer can open. In that safe is a letter from the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the letter of last resort, which contains guidance and orders to be followed should the United Kingdom be attacked with nuclear weapons.

The French Navy also have a SSBN in service called Vigilant.

Operational history
In 2002, protestors from Trident Ploughshares breached security at Faslane Naval Base where the Vanguard-class submarines are based. Two protestors managed to spray paint Vigilant with the CND symbol and the word "Vile".

Vigilant arrived at Devonport on 11 October 2008 for a major refit. Vigilant returned to the fleet on 27 March 2012 after her £300m refit.

General characteristics

 * Displacement: 16,000 tons submerged
 * Propulsion: Rolls-Royce PWR2 reactor, two GEC turbines, single shaft, pump jet propulsor
 * Electrical Power: two Paxman diesel generators, two WH Allen turbogenerators
 * Speed: 25 knots (46 km/h) submerged
 * Complement: 14 officers, 121 men
 * Strategic Armament: 16 Lockheed Trident II D5 ballistic missiles
 * Defensive Armament: four 533 mm (21-inch) torpedo tubes, Spearfish torpedoes