First nuclear submarine to be recycled from Devonport named

Thirteen of them are currently stored in the 'submarine graveyard'

Author: Simon McleanPublished 9th Feb 2022

The first vessel that's going to be recycled from the so-called 'submarine graveyard' in Devonport has been named - but there's no word yet on when it'll actually happen.

The last one was decommissioned in 1980 - but thirteen of them remain tied up there.

After a campaign by MP Luke Pollard, the Government says HMS Valiant will be the first to be recycled - but no date's been set for that yet.

Labour's Shadow Armed Forces Minister says, "It is a scandal that every nuclear submarine we have ever had, we still have. That is why I started the campaign to recycle these old submarines.

"Devonport has a vibrant future and that is why we need the valuable dock space being taken up as a submarine graveyard to be used more productively.

"My campaign to recycle these submarines will continue until every last one of these old subs has been safely and securely recycled.

"I am pleased that we have confirmation for which of these will be the first to be recycled, but we still need to see a concrete plan for when they will all be recycled.”

The sixth and most recent HMS Valiant was the second of Britain's nuclear-powered submarines, and the first of the two submarine Valiant-class.

She was ordered on 31 August 1960, laid down 22 January 1962, launched on 3 December 1963 and finally entered service 18 July 1966.

She was decommissioned from active service in 1994.

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