New Submarine Training Facility Taking Shape At HMNB Clyde

A new submarine training facility is taking shape at the home of the UK's nuclear deterrent.

HMNB Clyde in Scotland will host the Submarine Training Facility for the personnel on board the future Dreadnought Class nuclear submarines yet to enter service.

The current Vanguard Class submarines armed with Trident missiles already operate from the base in Faslane.

On track for completion in early 2022, the new Royal Navy building started to take shape this week as steel beams were put in place.

Royal Naval Submarine School training currently held at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall will be transferred to the facility, joined by the Defence School of Marine Engineering, the Nuclear Systems Group and Nuclear Department at HMS Sultan in Gosport.

The £100m construction contract awarded to joint venture Keir Graham last year comes as part of a wider Government plan to create a Submarine Centre of Specialisation located at HMNB Clyde.

In total, the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) is investing £1.6bn in facilities at the base.

Steven O'Connor, DIO Project Manager, said the Centre of Specialisation will allow personnel to train in "state-of-the-art conditions".

Captain Iain Breckenridge, Captain of submarine training with the Royal Navy's Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) organisation at HMNB Clyde, said: "With training delivery being reshaped to provide modern and highly realistic training in classrooms, simulators, by virtual and synthetic means, as well as online, it means submariners no longer have to travel to different locations to train.

"Everything will be delivered at HM Naval Base Clyde helping to improve their career and domestic balance.

"The creation of the Submarine Escape, Recovery and Survivability (SMERAS) has already placed the Submarine Service at the leading-edge of escape training and the creation of the Submarine Training Facility will place us at the forefront of all submarine training," he added.

Cover image: The submarine training facility under construction at HMNB Clyde (Picture: MOD).