| Built By: | Vickers (Barrow) |
| Build Group: | SSN 4b |
| Fate: | HMS Torbay was decommissioned at a ceremony at Devonport Naval Base on 14-07-2017. |
Launched by Lady Ann Herbert, wife of Admiral Sir Peter Herbert
Most of us have experience of using Microsoft Windows on a home computer but HMS Torbay became the first Royal Navy vessel to put to sea using it. The new computer-driven command system was termed SMCS-NG.
Barrow's Trafalgar-class product has another claim to fame in its colour. Torbay participated in an experiment in the use of colour schemes to reduce the visibility of submarines from the air. In 2006, the standard black paint of Royal Navy submarines was replaced by a carefully selected shade of blue. This was the result of research which found that black was the worst possible colour for a submarine attempting to avoid detection from the air. This has become a more important factor as a result of the changing nature of Royal Navy commitments since the end of the Cold War. Naval operations have moved from the murky waters of the North Atlantic to the clearer waters of the Arabian Sea and the Indian Ocean.
Torbay completed a refuel and modernisation process in February 2001.
In 2008 Torbay was back at sea as the most powerful in the fleet with a new state-of-the-art missile system. The boat was out of action for more than year for the major refit at Faslane on the Clyde. It allowed the submarine to send and receive email was submerged.
The biggest change was the latest longer-range Block IV version of the Tomahawk cruise missile. Torbay could launch missile strikes from sea on land targets from a range of up to 1,000 miles. The missile system could also retarget or safely abort in flight and relay images enroute to boost intelligence gathering.
April edition 2010. TWOSIX.tv presenter Kate McIntyre visits HMS Torbay, to take a look at the roles and life on board a Royal Navy submarine and to talk to submariners and their families
In November 2010, it was reported that Torbay had run aground in the Eastern Mediterranean the previous year.
In 2013 there was a fire on board ship, although thankfully no one was hurt and little damage done to the vessel herself.
| 21-12-1982 | Laid Down |
| 08-03-1985 | Launched |
| 07-02-1987 | Completed |
| 28-02-1987 | Left Barrow |
| 26-03-2014 | HMS Torbay emerged from refit at Plymouth. The Trafalgar Class submarine had been in a revalidated assisted maintenance period (RAMP) which has seen it upgraded and the nuclear power plant given a new lease of life. |
| 17-03-2015 | HMS Torbay arrived at Plymouth Sound to begin her transit up the River Hamoze to her berth in HM Naval Base Devonport following a six month deployment. During her deployment HMS Torbay has travelled 19,653 nautical miles, roughly equivalent of once round the world and spent 2,562 hours dived. |
| 06-06-2017 | HMS Torbay entered Gibraltar Naval Base flying her paying-off pennant. |
| 14-07-2017 | Following her final deployment, HMS Torbay was decommissioned at a ceremony at Devonport Naval Base. Torbay was scheduled to be decommissioned in 2015, due to extended maintenance she stayed in service until today |
| Primary Roles | Anti-submarine/surface vessel warfare |
| Secondary Roles | Land attack (optional), Minelaying, Designed for littoral, deep sea or world-wide deployment. |
| Length overall | 91.7m |
| Beam | 10.4m |
| Draught | 10m (max) |
| Displacement | 6,000 tons (surface) |
| 6,500 tons (submerged) | |
| Diving Depth | over 300m |
| Speed | Submerged 32 knots (design) |
| No. of shafts | 1 |
| Reactor | 1 x Rolls Royce PWR-2 |
| Turbines | 2 x GEC Turbines |
| Generators | 2 x WH Allen turbo generators, 2 Paxman diesel alternators (2,800 hp) |
| Power | 15,500 shp |
| Endurance | 90 day patrol |
| Propulsion | Pump jet propulsor |
| Armament | 5 x 533mm missile tubes |
| Total of 38 weapons | |
| Sub Harpoon missiles (SSM) | |
| Spearfish torpedoes | |
| Tigerfish torpedoes | |
| Tomahawk missiles (SLCM) | |
| Mines (in lieu of torpedoes) | |
| Countermeasures | 2 x SSE Mk 10 Launchers for Type 2066 and 2071 decoys |
| ESM; Racal UAP 3, passive intercept | |
| Navigation | Kelvin Hughes Type 1007 |
| Combat Data Systems | BAeSEMA SMCS |
| Weapons Control | Dowty tactical control system SAFS 3 FCS |
| Sonars | Marconi/Ferranti Type 2076 integrated suite with reelable towed array |
| Complement | 108 (12 officers) + 12 spare |
| Class: | 1967 - 1996: Resolution Class |
| Built By: | Cammell Laird (Mersey) |
| Build Group: | SSBN1 |
| Fate: | |
| Paid off May 1992 after completing 56 deterrent patrols and laid up at Rosyth. | |
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| Primary Roles | Anti-submarine/surface vessel warfare |
| Secondary Roles | Land attack (optional), Minelaying, Designed for littoral, deep sea or world-wide deployment. |
| Length overall | 91.7m |
| Beam | 10.4m |
| Draught | 10m (max) |
| Displacement | 6,000 tons (surface) |
| 6,500 tons (submerged) | |
| Diving Depth | over 300m |
| Speed | Submerged 32 knots (design) |
| No. of shafts | 1 |
| Reactor | 1 x Rolls Royce PWR-2 |
| Turbines | 2 x GEC Turbines |
| Generators | 2 x WH Allen turbo generators, 2 Paxman diesel alternators (2,800 hp) |
| Power | 15,500 shp |
| Endurance | 90 day patrol |
| Propulsion | Pump jet propulsor |
| Armament | 5 x 533mm missile tubes |
| Total of 38 weapons | |
| Sub Harpoon missiles (SSM) | |
| Spearfish torpedoes | |
| Tigerfish torpedoes | |
| Tomahawk missiles (SLCM) | |
| Mines (in lieu of torpedoes) | |
| Countermeasures | 2 x SSE Mk 10 Launchers for Type 2066 and 2071 decoys |
| ESM; Racal UAP 3, passive intercept | |
| Navigation | Kelvin Hughes Type 1007 |
| Combat Data Systems | BAeSEMA SMCS |
| Weapons Control | Dowty tactical control system SAFS 3 FCS |
| Sonars | Marconi/Ferranti Type 2076 integrated suite with reelable towed array |
| Complement | 108 (12 officers) + 12 spare |
| Class: | 1967 - 1996: Resolution Class |
| Built By: | Cammell Laird (Mersey) |
| Build Group: | SSBN1 |
| Fate: | |
| Paid off May 1992 after completing 56 deterrent patrols and laid up at Rosyth. | |
11 pages added or updated in the last 7 month
Please help to maintain this site by reporting any Errors, Broken Links, Information or Site Issues on this page using this button
If you find this site useful, please consider supporting my work with a small Donation. Or you can make a big one if you like :)
Please Note: Donations made using this option go directly to the site owner and not to the Submariners Association.
Thankyou for your support.
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