Farewell HMS Torbay: Who Is She And What Did She Do?

HMS Torbay is one of the Royal Navy's hunter-killer submarines and she hangs up her White Ensign after 32 years of service.

Following her final deployment, HMS Torbay has been decommissioned at a ceremony at Devonport Naval Base.

“I think general speaking, we’re all sad to see her go”

HMS Torbay is the fourth Royal Navy Trafalgar Class nuclear submarine and was the first of the fleet to be controlled using the Microsoft Windows operating system.

Whilst Torbay was scheduled to be decommissioned in 2015, due to extended maintenance she stayed in service.

She is fitted with a nuclear reactor which enables prolonged periods of dived operations without the need to refuel and the ability to make air and water - the only thing that limits her endurance is food.

Torbay was fitted with a world-beating sonar suite, a system allowing her to hear vessels over 50 miles away.

At the end of her service her proud crew said she was fit for duty right up until the end.

“You’re actually doing your job and you’re out there doing what a submarine should do”

The crew of HMS Torbay invited their families for the decommissioning ceremony at Devonport naval base.

HMS Torbay Key Info

Launched: March 8, 1985

Length: 85m

Displacement: 4,800 tonnes surfaced, 5,300 dived.

Top speed: Over 30 knots

Propulsion: Rolls-Royce nuclear reactor

Armaments: Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes, launched via five 21-inch tubes

Crew: 120-130 men