Submarines to be Based at Faslane

Two of the Royal Navy's Trafalgar Class submarines are being moved to the Clyde naval base from their current site in Plymouth, the Defence Secretary has confirmed. HMS Talent and HMS Triumph will be at the Faslane base, which is home to the UK's nuclear deterrent, by 2020. The other two vessels in the class, HMS Torbay and HMS Trenchant, are to remain at Devonport until they are decommissioned in 2017 and 2019 respectively. The move means the Scottish base will be home to all of the UK's submarines. It is another step towards Clyde becoming the Royal Navy's Submarine Centre of Specialisation, according to the Ministry of Defence. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: "This decision balances the Royal Navy's operational requirements with giving more clarity to our servicemen and women to plan their family lives. "HMS Torbay and HMS Trenchant crews and their families now have certainty that Devonport will be their home port until the boats decommission. We expect that local communities will welcome HMS Talent and HMS Triumph and their crews and families when they arrive in Scotland later this decade. "Our commitment to Faslane becoming home to all Royal Navy submarines from 2020 will bring hundreds of jobs and investment to the west of Scotland.'' Commodore Mark Adams, Naval Base Commander Clyde, said: "Several years of hard work have already gone into preparing HMNB Clyde to be the home of the UK Submarine Service. The base regularly successfully hosts Trafalgar Class submarines for both routine visits and to undertake periods of extended maintenance and we are delighted to welcome HMS Talent and HMS Triumph on their move from Devonport. "HMNB Clyde and the surrounding Argyll and Bute communities are renowned for their hospitality so the crews and their families can be assured of a warm welcome.'' Commodore Graeme Little, Naval Base Commander Devonport, said: "The decision for HMS Torbay and HMS Trenchant to remain base-ported in Devonport reflects the operational and support demands of the boats and minimises potential disruption and uncertainty to our submariners - it is entirely consistent with the longer-term plan to establish Clyde as the Submarine Operating Base and for Devonport to remain the Submarine Centre of Deep Maintenance.''