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HMS Valiant (S102)
Encyclopedia
The sixth, and most recent HMS Valiant was the second of Britain's nuclear-powered submarines, and the first of the two-unit Valiant class
. She was ordered on 31 August 1960, laid down 22 January 1962, launched on 3 December 1963 by Lady Thorneycroft, and finally entered service 18 July 1966.
She was refitted in 1970, 1977 and 1989, and participated in the Falklands War
in 1982. Following the development of engine trouble in June 1994, she was paid off 12 August 1994.
Her hull and reactor are currently laid up afloat at Devonport Dockyard
, Plymouth
, Devon until facilities are available for the long term storage of her radioactive components.
During the HMNB Devonport
Navy Days 2006, one of the members of the team currently restoring pointed out that Valiant was one of the first Royal Navy submarines to have her reactor removed (hence the box-like structures that are visible in the photograph below, which penetrate deep into the pressure hull, later attempts on other vessels didn't require these structures). As Valiant had been cosmetically wrecked by this work, Courageous was selected for the museum ship
to represent the SSN fleet of the Royal Navy during the Cold War
. Components were removed from Valiant to restore Courageous.
Valiant class submarine
The Valiant class were a class of nuclear-powered fleet submarines in service with the Royal Navy from the mid 1960s until 1994. They were the first fully British nuclear fleet submarine; the earlier used an American nuclear reactor...
. She was ordered on 31 August 1960, laid down 22 January 1962, launched on 3 December 1963 by Lady Thorneycroft, and finally entered service 18 July 1966.
She was refitted in 1970, 1977 and 1989, and participated in the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
in 1982. Following the development of engine trouble in June 1994, she was paid off 12 August 1994.
Her hull and reactor are currently laid up afloat at Devonport Dockyard
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...
, Plymouth
Plymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
, Devon until facilities are available for the long term storage of her radioactive components.
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 pointed out that Valiant was one of the first Royal Navy submarines to have her reactor removed (hence the box-like structures that are visible in the photograph below, which penetrate deep into the pressure hull, later attempts on other vessels didn't require these structures). As Valiant had been cosmetically wrecked by this work, Courageous was selected for the 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...
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 Valiant to restore Courageous.