Documents
United Kingdom BAE Systems
Vanguard class
Ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) that has carried the UK's Trident nuclear deterrent continuously at sea since the early 1990s, armed with Trident II D5 missiles. Four boats form the current force pending replacement by the Dreadnought class.
In service since 1993 · 1 operator countries
Compiled from public sources ·primary reference ↗ ·last verified 2026-07-02
25
kn
15,900
t
135
crew
Procurement snapshot
Availability & export
UK export-licensed
Subject to UK SPIRE licensing (ECJU); generally available to allied states.
Channel: Government-to-government or direct
Fielded & proven
Limited · 1 operator
In service since 1993. Status: active · ~4 built.
Lifecycle cost (est.)
No public unit price to model from. Why so few systems publish one →
Interoperability
Derived guidance from public data, export regime by country of origin, lifecycle from the GAO ~30% acquisition rule. Verify eligibility, pricing and offsets with the manufacturer and your acquisition authority.
Compatible munitions & weapons
Publicly reported weapons the Vanguard class can carry. Linked items have a full spec page.
Full specifications
Firepower
Armament, payload and guidance.
| VLS cells Vertical-launch missile cells on a warship, a proxy for magazine depth. Higher means more missiles before rearming. | 16 |
|---|---|
| Torpedo tubes Number of torpedo tubes (submarines and some surface ships). | 4 |
Protection
Armor, countermeasures and survivability.
| Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers. | 2x SSE Mk10 launchers for Type 2066 and Type 2071 torpedo decoys, Racal UAP passive intercept RESM |
|---|
Physical
Dimensions, weight and crew.
| Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable. | 149.9 m |
|---|
Propulsion
Engine, power and fuel.
| Engine Powerplant model and type. | 1x Rolls-Royce PWR2 nuclear reactor with 2x GEC turbines, 1 shaft with pump-jet propulsor |
|---|---|
| Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster. | 27,500 hp |
| Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet… | Nuclear (pressurised water reactor) |
Sensors & avionics
Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.
| Radar Primary radar. AESA (active electronically scanned array) is the current state of the art. | Kelvin Hughes Type 1007 I-band navigation radar |
|---|---|
| Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights. | Thales Type 2054 composite sonar suite, Type 2046 towed array sonar, Type 2043 hull-mounted active and passive search sonar, Type 2082 passive intercept and ranging sonar, BAE Systems SMCS combat system, Pilkington Optronics CK51 search and CH91 attack periscopes |
Program
Cost, production scale and operators.
| Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability. | 4 |
|---|---|
| Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem. | 1 |
Specifications compiled from public BAE Systems and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations, treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-02.
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Naval Group Suffren class Frequently asked questions
What engine does the BAE Systems Vanguard class use? +
The BAE Systems Vanguard class is powered by the 1x Rolls-Royce PWR2 nuclear reactor with 2x GEC turbines, 1 shaft with pump-jet propulsor.
What is the BAE Systems Vanguard class used for? +
The BAE Systems Vanguard class is a submarine typically used for deep strike.
How many countries operate the BAE Systems Vanguard class? +
The BAE Systems Vanguard class is operated by 1 countries.
