Royal Navy - 1988
By the end of the Cold War, the United Kingdom possessed the largest navy in Western Europe. Counting its reserve, as of 1988 it had 153 warships — 4 nuclear-powered missile boats, 15 nuclear-powered and 12 diesel submarines, 3 light aircraft carriers, 13 guided missile destroyers, 27 guided missile frigates, 11 frigates, 16 patrol ships, 42 minesweepers and 10 landing ships, as well as over 200 auxiliary vessels of different kinds. The effective combat strength of naval aviation totalled around 30 Sea Harrier strike fighters, over 170 helicopters (including 120 antisubmarine, around 30 troop-transport, 10 early warning and 16 gunship), and about 160 airplanes and helicopters in auxiliary naval aviation.
Following the removal of Vulcan-B.2 medium bombers from the inventory in 1982, nuclear-powered missile submarines were the country's sole strategic resource. Four "Resolution" class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines had been refitted under the Chevaline Polaris-AZTK missiles with a range of up to 4,600 km, equipped with new MIRV multiple warheads with yields from 120 to 600 kilotons. Three submarines were usually kept combat ready while one was undergoing repair and modernization (18-24 months) or combat training (up to 9 months) prior to its return to the combat-ready forces. Ballistic missiles were replaced on an average of every 2 years, and the cruising time of the missile submarines between repairs was around 5 years.
Creation of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines of a new generation equipped with Trident-2 ballistic missiles (four in a series) was the principal direction of development of the country's strategic forces. In April 1986 Vickers Ship Building and Engineering in Barrow in Furness received an order to build the prototype "Vanguard", which according to the plan would had a submerged displacement of 15,850 tons, a length of 148.3 m, a width of 12.8 m, a displacement of 12.8 m and a submerged cruising speed of around 25 knots.
The submarine was to be armed with 16 American Trident-2 ballistic missiles with English-made MIRV warheads (up to eight individually guided warheads with a range of over 11,000 km). Construction of the "Vanguard" nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine was expected to be completed in 1993, and it was to be launched in 1994. The average rate of construction of new submarines was to be kept at one nuclear-powered missile submarine per year. "Resolution" class missile submarines had now been in service for 25-27 years, and they would be gradually phased out. Military specialists of Great Britain feel that "Vanguard" class missile submarines could remain operational until the 2020s.
Significant attention was devoted to raising the combat capabilities of submarines in the general-purpose forces. Measures implemented in this direction foresee further growth of the number of nuclear-powered multipurpose submarines and qualitative renovation of diesel-electric submarines.
The S90 "Torbay" nuclear-powered submarine — the fourth of the "Trafalgar" class — was introduced into the navy in February 1987; another three submarines of this series were in different stages of construction, and they are to be transferred to the navy by 1990. Following their construction, the British navy would possess 18 nuclear-powered multipurpose submarines (seven "Trafalgar" class, six "Swiftsure" class and five "Valiant" class). Twelve "Oberon" class diesel submarines in the inventory, nine of which were undergoing modernization, would gradually be replaced by "Upholder" class boats (Project 2400). The prototype submarine was launched in December 1986, and another three are under construction in building berths. There were to be 10 boats in the series.
Three light "Invincible" class aircraft carriers and destroyer and frigate-type escort ships (52 units) made up the backbone of the navy's surface forces. Considering the experience of combat operations in the vicinity of the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands, there were plans for modernizing the aircraft carriers R05 "Invincible" and R06 "Illustrious" and for raising their combat capabilities to those of the R07 "Ark Royal." The former would undergo overhaul and modernization beginning in March 1986; in its course, the slope of the ramp would be increased from 7° to 12°, and Goalkeeper antiaircraft artillery systems and new weapon control systems, radar and sonar would be installed. The typical composition of a carrier-based air group included up to eight Sea Harrier strike fighters, nine antisubmarine helicopters and three AWACS helicopters.
Following completion of the series of "Sheffield" class guided missile destroyers (a total of 14 units were built in 1976-1985; two were sunk during the Anglo-Argentine conflict), construction of more ships of this class was not foreseen. The principal direction of development of the navy's escort forces was the construction of guided missile frigates. "Broadsword" class ships were being transferred to the navy: nine units among the effectives and five under construction (completion of the series was planned by 1990). In addition four "Norfolk" (4) class guided missile frigates were laid down in 1985-1987 (type 23). The total number of ships had not been finally determined.
The naval command felt that the quantitative composition of escort forces should be maintained at a level of 65 units, with regard for having 20 percent of the ships in reserve. Therefore transfer of new ships from industry to the navy would proceed in parallel with transfer of destroyers and frigates that had attained their maximum life (25 years) into the reserves or their demolition.
Ships of the minesweeping forces were significantly renewed in the 1980s. In 1988 the last minesweeper of the "River" class (a series of 12 units with a full load displacement of 890 tons) was transferred to the fleet, and the program for building "Brecon" class minehunters (13 units, 725 tons) was nearing completion. In August 1985 the company Vosper-Thornycroft was awarded an order to build a prototype minehunter of the "Sundown" class with a standard displacement of 450 tons. Its transfer to the navy was expected in 1989. Concurrently with this, obsolete "Ton" class ships were being retired into the reserve. Great Britain's amphibious naval forces include two L10 "Fearless" and L10 "Intrepid" helicopter assault landing ships, six tank landing ships and two small assault landing ships.
Efforts were under way to raise the combat capabilities of naval aviation. Modernization of Sea Harrier-FRS. 1 strike fighters in the inventory had begun, and it was to be completed in the early 1990s. The modernized airplanes (the modification was termed the FRS.2) would be armed with AIM-120A air-to-air guided missiles, and possibly Sea Eagle antiship missiles, as well as with more up-to-date onboard equipment, including new radar. In the near future, Sea King-HAS.2 and -5 antisubmarine helicopters were to be replaced by new EH-101 craft developed jointly by Great Britain and Italy; there were plans for purchasing around 50 units. A new modification of the Sea King helicopter (the HAS.6), which together with the EH-101 and the Lynx-HAS.2 and -3 would make up the backbone of the antisubmarine helicopter fleet, was expected to enter the navy in 1989. The number of Sea King-HC.4 troop-carrying assault helicopters continued to increase.
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