UK’s Demonstrator Project for Dismantling Nuclear Subs Moves Forward
The UK marked a milestone early in June in its efforts to develop a program for dismantling and recycling its fleet of decommissioned nuclear submarines. The first large section was cut from the former HMS Swiftsure as the final stage of the first dismantling project for a British nuclear sub moves forward.
The first major cut on HMS Swiftsure was the removal of the sub’s fin (sail or tower section) of the nearly 5,000-tonne submarine. The large structure was removed from the hull and lowered to the dry dock. Cutters have been working on the submarine since late 2024 after she entered a dry dock in Rosyth, Scotland at the Babcock facility. While they have begun removing smaller elements within the hull, this was the first exterior cut into the vessel.
The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026, and they estimate as much as 90 percent of Swiftsure’s total weight will be recycled. Some of the high-quality steel will be repurposed into components for future Royal Navy submarines.
Swiftsure is being dismantled in a dry dock in Scotland (Royal Navy)
The UK has been working to develop a process for the recycling of the submarines for nearly a decade with critics pointing out they are dramatically behind schedule. The country currently has a total of 23 decommissioned nuclear submarines stored between Rosyth and Devonport in England and many still have their nuclear fuel on board. They require regular maintenance and surveys.
Critics point out the UK moved to rapidly decommission nuclear submarines at the end of the Cold War with no plan for how to address the ships. One proposal called for scuttling the vessels in deep water. By comparison, the United States has a well-developed process undertaken at the yard in Bremerton, Washington which completes the recycling of a Los Angeles class attack submarine in less than two years.
The UK established the Submarine Delivery Agency in 2013 with the objective of developing a dismantling and disposal solution for 27 decommissioned nuclear submarines. The plan calls for a multi-stage approach starting with the removal of radioactive parts that contain low-level radioactive waste. The second stage is the removal of the Reactor Pressure Vessel and that is followed by the clearing of all radioactive materials.
Swiftsure was operational from 1972 to 1991 (Royal Navy)
Swiftsure was ordered in 1967 and built by Vickers-Armstrongs Barrow-in-Furness shipyard. She was 83 meters (272 feet) in length and commissioned as the first of her class in April 1972. She was active for 19 years but retired after they reportedly found cracks in the structure as she was prepared for her second life-extension overhaul. There were five other vessels in the class with the final one decommissioned in 2010.
Swiftsure is designed as a demonstrator project for dismantling. She was moved to a dock at Rosyth on July 27, 2023. In the first phase, they worked to identify and remove any remaining classified items and check that she was free of any radioactive material.
UK looks to accelerate the disposals to deal with the backlog of laid up nuclear submarines (Babcock)
The Submarine Delivery Agency highlights that with subsequent vessels they have been able to move at a faster pace and lower cost. HMS Resolution which has 50 percent greater tonnage completed her first stage cleaning in three-quarters of the time of Swiftsure.
Babcock announced at the beginning of June that it had been awarded a three-year contract to prepare for the first nuclear defueling of a decommissioned Trafalgar Class submarine in over 20 years. The £114 million ($155 million) contract from the Ministry of Defence will see the defueling process begin for four decommissioned submarines, with activities getting underway starting in 2026.