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HMS Courageous (S50)
Encyclopedia
HMS Courageous (S50) was a nuclear fleet submarine in service with the Royal Navy
from 1971.
In 1982, the Courageous was sent with her sister ship, the , with the British task force to retake the Falkland Islands
from the occupying Argentine forces. She returned home later in the year without damage.
The Courageous was retired from service in 1992. She is now a museum ship
at Devonport Dockyard.
During the HMNB Devonport
Navy Days 2006, one of the members of the team currently restoring HMS Courageous pointed out that HMS Valiant was one of the first Royal Navy submarines to have her reactor removed (hence the box-like structures, visible in the photograph on the page, which penetrate deep into the pressure hull. Later attempts on other vessels didn't require these structures). As the Valiant had been cosmetically wrecked by this work, HMS Courageous was selected for the museum ship to represent the SSN fleet of the Royal Navy during the Cold War
. Components were removed from HMS Valiant to restore Courageous.
HMS Courageous was due to be moved in 2007 from her current berth to a new berth, due to development of the HMNB Devonport area where she currently resides.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
from 1971.
In 1982, the Courageous was sent with her sister ship, the , with the British task force to retake the Falkland Islands
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, located about from the coast of mainland South America. The archipelago consists of East Falkland, West Falkland and 776 lesser islands. The capital, Stanley, is on East Falkland...
from the occupying Argentine forces. She returned home later in the year without damage.
The Courageous was retired from service in 1992. She is now a museum ship
Museum ship
A museum ship, or sometimes memorial ship, is a ship that has been preserved and converted into a museum open to the public, for educational or memorial purposes...
at Devonport Dockyard.
During the HMNB Devonport
HMNB Devonport
Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
Navy Days 2006, one of the members of the team currently restoring HMS Courageous pointed out that HMS Valiant was one of the first Royal Navy submarines to have her reactor removed (hence the box-like structures, visible in the photograph on the page, which penetrate deep into the pressure hull. Later attempts on other vessels didn't require these structures). As the Valiant had been cosmetically wrecked by this work, HMS Courageous was selected for the museum ship to represent the SSN fleet of the Royal Navy during the Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
. Components were removed from HMS Valiant to restore Courageous.
HMS Courageous was due to be moved in 2007 from her current berth to a new berth, due to development of the HMNB Devonport area where she currently resides.
External links
- HMS Courageous Society website - Click here for society news, Courageous history and shop.
- Royal Navy website - HMS Courageous page