Dangerous fault on nuclear submarines

The Daily Telegraph has reported that a potentially dangerous problem with the nuclear reactors on British submarines has put several out of service. According to the article the MoD have said that HMS Superb and HMS Sovereign have been withdrawn from service. Scottish CND can confirm that both of those vessels have been berthed at Faslane for at least two months. In July there were several containers belonging to the reactor firm, Rolls Royce and Associates (RRA), alongside HMS Superb and personnel were seen near the reactor area working late into the evening.

Apparently the defect in the reactors was first discovered during early in the refit of HMS Sceptre at Rosyth in 1998. The seriousness implications of the fault were not realised until recent tests. There is a possibility that this is related to the defect on HMS Tireless in Gibraltar following the accident on the submarine in May. RRA have been carrying out trials at their Derby base related to the problem with Tireless.

Of the remaining Swiftsure class submarines, HMS Spartan is in refit at Rosyth. HMS Splendid is the only one of the class which is operational, it has been declared safe to operate until February 2001. It is unclear whether this is because it actually is any safer, or because it is one of only two cruise missile capable submarines.

The Telegraph has also revealed that HMS Talent has a major defect which has resulted in it being in Devonport for maintenance until the end of this year. HMS Tireless is in Gibraltar and plans to repair its reactor there have been opposed both by many people in Gibraltar but also in Andalusia.

Scottish CND assessment of the current status of Swiftsure and Trafalgar class submarines is as follows:

Swiftsure Class
HMS Sovereign - in Faslane, declared non-operational because of reactor problem
HMS Superb - in Faslane, declared non-operational because of reactor problem
HMS Splendid - at sea, possibly remains in service because armed with cruise missiles
HMS Spartan - in refit at Rosyth
HMS Sceptre - reactor defect, refit ended in July, not clear if left Rosyth

Trafalgar Class
HMS Trafalgar - carrying out trials to be able to use cruise missiles, berthed at Devonport on 3 August
HMS Turbulent - Berthed at Devonport on 3 August
HMS Tireless - In Gibraltar following a reactor accident on 12 May
HMS Torbay - In Devonport dockyard for a long refit
HMS Trenchant - In Devonport dockyard for a long refit
HMS Talent - In Devonport dockyard for repair of a major defect
HMS Triumph - In June 2000 it was reported in Plymouth that this was the only operational Trafalgar Class submarine, armed with cruise missiles.

The implications of the problems for Trident submarines are unknown. But given that there are problems with both Swiftsure and Trafalgar class this must be a possibility. The failure to detect the defective weld on HMS Tireless is also a sign of fundamental problems with the Navy's system for checking the reactor coolant circuit.