Location of Faslane and RNAD Coulport

Faslane Naval Base, HMNB Clyde

Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde (HMS Neptune), is one of three operating bases for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Devonport and HMNB Portsmouth). HMNB Clyde is located on the eastern shore of Gare Loch in Argyll & Bute, Scotland, situated to the north of the Firth of Clyde and west of the city of Glasgow. It is the headquarters of the Royal Navy in Scotland and is best known as the home of the United Kingdom's strategic deterrent submarine force. The base encompasses a number of separate sites, the primary two being: Image File history File links Edit of: Image:Scotland Map (Firth of Clyde Detail) Loch Long. ... Image File history File links Edit of: Image:Scotland Map (Firth of Clyde Detail) Loch Long. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (640x792, 49 KB)From [www. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (640x792, 49 KB)From [www. ... Nine ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Neptune after the Roman god of the ocean. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ... Devonport in 1909, courtesy WW1 Archive Devonport Dockyard and the Hamoaze from the Rame Peninsula, Cornwall Her Majestys Naval Base (HMNB) Devonport (HMS Drake), is one of three operating naval bases in the Royal Navy. ... Portsmouth Naval Dockyard. ... Map of the Firth of Clyde and area The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. ... For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ... Motto: (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity1 Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official language(s) English, Gaelic, Scots2 Government  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - UK Prime Minister Tony Blair MP  - First Minister Jack McConnell MSP Unification    - by Kenneth I 843  Area    - Total 78,772 km... The Vanguard class are the Royal Navys current nuclear ballistic missile submarines (SSBN), each armed with 16 Trident II SLBMs. ...

• Faslane, 25 miles from Glasgow.
• RNAD Coulport, 8 miles west of Faslane on Loch Long.

Faslane is also a Defence Logistics Organisation port, operated in dual site organisation with Great Harbour, Greenock, by Serco Denholm.^[1] A mile is a unit of length, usually used to measure distance, in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, United States customary units and Norwegian/Swedish mil. ... For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ... A mile is a unit of length, usually used to measure distance, in a number of different systems, including Imperial units, United States customary units and Norwegian/Swedish mil. ... Loch Long is a body of water in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. ... The Defence Logistics Organisation is an agency of the United Kingdom MoD charged with managing the storage and supply chain assets of the Ministry and the British Armed Forces. ... For other uses see Greenock (disambiguation). ... Serco Group plc is a business services company based in the London suburb of Richmond upon Thames. ...

In 2006 the Ministry of Defence announced that a review would be undertaken to examine the future of the three Naval Bases. The Naval Base Review is seeking to examine the long term future needs of the Royal Navy, with the most likely outcome being either retaining the three current Naval Bases, but with reduced capacity in each, or closing one of the two on the south coast of England. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ...

Faslane Naval Base

See also: Nuclear weapons and the United Kingdom

Faslane Naval Base, situated on the Gare Loch, and the RN Armaments Depot Coulport on Loch Long, are the primary components of HM Naval Base Clyde. The Naval shore establishment at Faslane is HMS Neptune, Naval personnel appointed to the base who do not belong to a sea-going vessel make up Ship's Company. Both the Gareloch and Loch Long are sea lochs extending northwards from the Firth of Clyde. The base serves as home base to the United Kingdom's fleet of Trident nuclear powered and armed submarines, as well as conventionally-armed nuclear powered submarines, supported by the Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines. In charge of HMNB Clyde is Naval Base Commander (Clyde), currently Commodore C J Stait OBE ADC Royal Navy. The base is home to a number of lodger units including Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland (FOSNNI) (who is also Flag Officer Reserves (FORes)), the Northern Diving Group and the Scottish Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency. It is base to 3,000 service personnel, 800 of their families and 4,000 civilian workers. The United Kingdom was the third country to test an independently developed nuclear weapon in October 1952. ... The Gare Loch should not be confused with the Loch Gairloch or the village of Gairloch. ... Nine ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Neptune after the Roman god of the ocean. ... A loch is the name given to a body of water in Scotland or Ireland. ... Map of the Firth of Clyde and area The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. ... The Trident missile, named after the trident, is an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which is armed with nuclear warheads and is launched from submarines (SSBNs), making it a SLBM. The Trident was built in two variants: the I (C4) UGM-96A and II (D5) UGM-133A. The C4 and D5... SSN is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings: Social Security number (United States), an identification number used by the U.S. Social Security Administration. ... Fleet Prtection Group Royal Marines Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines Security of nuclear weapons at Faslane, HM Naval Base Clyde is part of the Groups responsibilities The Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines (FPGRM), formerly Comacchio Company Royal Marines (1980-1983) and Comacchio Group Royal Marines (1983-2001), is a... Commodore Insignia Rank Pennant Commodore is a rank of the Royal Navy above Captain and below Rear-Admiral. ... Flag Officer is both a historic naval rank and a modern day navy title. ... The Ministry of Defence Police and Guarding Agency is a British Ministry of Defence executive agency which combines the Ministry of Defence Police and Ministry of Defence Guard Service under a single Chief Executive. ...

Faslane was first constructed and used as a base in World War II. During the 1960s, the United Kingdom began negotiations with the United States of America regarding the purchase of a Polaris nuclear missile system to be fired from 5 specially constructed submarines. In the end, only four were constructed; Resolution, Repulse, Renown and Revenge. These four submarines were permanently based at Faslane. One boat was always on patrol at any given time. In times of political instability, sometimes two boats would be deployed at sea. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The 1960s Ashley Rocks! decadeHI refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... The Polaris Missile was a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) carrying a nuclear warhead developed during the Cold War for the United States Navy. ... HMS Resolution (S22) was the first of the Royal Navys Resolution-class ballistic missile submarines. ... HMS Repulse (S23) was the second of the Royal Navys Resolution-class ballistic missile submarines. ... HMS Renown (S22) was the third of the Royal Navys Resolution-class ballistic missile submarines. ... HMS Revenge (S27) was the fourth of the Royal Navys Resolution-class ballistic missile submarines. ...

Vanguard class SSBNs

In the 1980s, the British Government announced plans to replace the Polaris submarines with the newly developed Trident missile system, also to be based at Faslane. These submarines were named: The 1980s refers to the years of 1980 to 1989. ... The United Kingdom is a unitary state and a democratic constitutional monarchy. ... The Trident missile, named after the trident, is an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) which is armed with nuclear warheads and is launched from submarines (SSBNs), making it a SLBM. The Trident was built in two variants: the I (C4) UGM-96A and II (D5) UGM-133A. The C4 and D5...

• HMS Vanguard
• HMS Victorious
• HMS Vigilant
• HMS Vengeance

The tenth HMS Vanguard (S28) of the British Royal Navy is the lead boat of her class of Trident ballistic missile-capable submarines and is based at HMNB Clyde, Faslane, Vanguard was built at Barrow-in-Furness by Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd (now BAE Systems Marine), was launched on... HMS Victorious (S29) is the second Vanguard class submarine of the Royal Navy. ... HMS Vigilant (S30) is the third Vanguard class submarine of the Royal Navy. ... We dont have an article called HMS Vengeance (S31) Start this article Search for HMS Vengeance (S31) in. ...

Swiftsure class SSNs

Faslane is also home to the Swiftsure class of hunter-killer submarines (SSNs). The Swiftsure class is the older of the two SSN classes of the Royal Navy and is due to be replaced by the Astute class submarines. The Royal Navys Swiftsure-class of nuclear fleet submarines (SSNs) is the older of the two classes of attack submarine in service with the RN. It originally contained six boats, but HMS Swiftsure was decommissioned in 1992 due to damage suffered to the pressure hull during trials. ... BAE Systems Artist Impression The Astute class submarines are the next generation nuclear attack submarines of the Royal Navy. ...

• HMS Sovereign recently decommissioned
• HMS Superb
• HMS Sceptre
• HMS Spartan recently decommissioned

The HMS Sovereign (S108) is a nuclear powered submarine of the Swiftsure class serving in the Royal Navy. ... The HMS Superb (S109) is a nuclear powered submarine of the Swiftsure class serving in the Royal Navy. ... The fifth HMS Sceptre (S104) is a Swiftsure-class submarine built by Vickers in Barrow-in-Furness. ... HMS Spartan (S105) is a nuclear powered submarine of the Royal Navy Swiftsure class. ...

Other vessels

The Royal Navy has announced that the Astute-class SSN will also be based at Faslane. Also based there are the Mine countermeasure vessels of the 1st MCM Squadron. The patrol vessels of the Northern Ireland Squadron were based at Faslane from 1993 until the squadron was decommissioned in July 2005. BAE Systems Artist Impression The Astute class submarines are the next generation nuclear attack submarines of the Royal Navy. ... A Mine Countermeasure Vessel or MCMV is a type of naval ship tasked with the location of and destruction of naval mines. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... The Northern Ireland Squadron was established to interdict the movement by sea of arms and other material support for terrorist operations in Northern Ireland. ...

Anti-nuclear demonstrations

Given the presence of these nuclear capable missiles, Faslane has attracted demonstrations by Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and other Scottish pressure groups, including Trident Ploughshares. A permanent peace camp is outside the base gates, and there are frequent demonstrations at the base gates. The presence of Faslane is also an issue in Scottish politics. The Scottish National Party, the Scottish Socialist Party, Saor Alba and the Scottish Green Party all oppose the deployment of nuclear weapons, although the Scottish National Party have made assurances that they would retain the base for the servicing of conventionally-armed and -powered naval units. It is not unusual for members of these parties, and indeed some from the Labour Party to be present. Also, some independents, such as George Galloway attend rallies outside Faslane. Such events aim to keep the base closed for as long as possible by preventing its staff from arriving for work, and usually involve large numbers of protesters being arrested for non-violent civil disobedience. Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament logo In British politics, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament has been at the forefront of the peace movement in the United Kingdom and claims to be Europes largest single-issue peace campaign. ... Advocacy is an umbrella term for organized activism related to a particular set of issues. ... Trident Ploughshares is an internationally recognised anti-nuclear-weapons group, with the aim of beating swords into ploughshares, specifically by actively trying to disarm the UK Trident nuclear weapons system, in a non-violent, open, peaceful and fully accountable manner. ... The Camps Side Entrance Faslane Peace Camp is a permanent peace camp sited alongside Faslane Naval base in Argyll and Bute, Scotland (Google Maps link). ... The Politics of Scotland forms a distinctive part of the wider politics of the United Kingdom, with Scotland one of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom. ... The Scottish National Party (SNP) (Scottish Gaelic: is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. ... The Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) is a radical left-wing Scottish political party which campaigns on a socialist economic platform and for Scottish independence. ... The Society of the United Scotsmen was formed in the late eighteenth century and sought widespread political reform in Scotland. ... The Scottish Green Party (Pàrtaidh Uaine na h-Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is the Green party of Scotland, and a full member of the European Federation of Green Parties. ... The Scottish National Party (SNP) (Scottish Gaelic: is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the principal political party of the left in the United Kingdom. ... George Galloway (born 16 August 1954) is a Scottish politician noted for his far left and socialist views, confrontational style, and rhetorical skill. ... An anti-war activist is arrested for civil disobedience on the steps of the Supreme Court of the United States on February 9, 2005. ...

Faslane Peace Camp

Faslane Peace Camp is a permanent camp outside the base. It has been occupied continuously since 1982. The Camps Side Entrance Faslane Peace Camp is a permanent peace camp sited alongside Faslane Naval base in Argyll and Bute, Scotland (Google Maps link). ...

Big Blockades

The Big Blockade at Faslane Naval Base is an annual event held since 1999 usually in the 2nd week of February, aiming to close the base for 24 hours. The event attracts thousands of peace activists and has on occasion resulted in more than 350 arrests

Faslane 365

The Faslane 365 campaign is an effort to establish a continuous protest at the base for a 365 day period using autonomous groups of 100 people.^[2] The Camps Side Entrance Faslane Peace Camp is a controversial permanent peace camp sited outside Faslane Naval base gates in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. ...

The campaign was launched in September 2006 with the first protest action commencing on 1 October 2006 carried out by a campaigning group of women associated with protests at Greenham Common. October 1 is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Greenham Common in 2005. ...

As of 20 November 2006, there have been 301 arrests, but only one charge.^{[citation needed][3]}

RNAD Coulport

The Royal Naval Armament Depot (RNAD) at Coulport, Loch Long is the other major part of HMNB Clyde. RNAD Coulport stores conventional armaments for Royal Navy vessels but is best known for its role in the Trident missile system. Faslane Naval Base, HMNB Clyde Her Majestys Naval Base Clyde is the headquarters of the Royal Navy in Scotland, best known as the home of the United Kingdoms strategic deterrent submarine force. ... Loch Long is a body of water in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. ...

Nuclear weapon storage bunkers have been excavated from a ridge. From here British-designed and built nuclear warheads can be fitted to the Trident missiles (built by Lockheed Martin). Whilst the warheads themselves are British-owned and built, the delivery system is not actually owned by the United Kingdom and instead it has ownership rights to some 58 missiles from a "pool" shared with the U.S. Navy, this is a necessary capability. Whole missiles can be lifted out of or into a submarine, however the missiles are normally serviced at the U.S. Navy facility at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay in Georgia. Lockheed/BAE/Northrop F-35 Lockheed Trident missile C-130 Hercules; in production since the 1950s, now as the C-130J Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is an aerospace manufacturer formed in 1995 by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta. ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay is a base of the United States Navy in Camden County, in southeast Georgia. ...

Initial construction took place between 1963, when Faslane was chosen as the new Polaris base, and 1968, when the first Polaris boat began its patrol. Safety considerations required that the armament maintenance and storage facility have its own berth and be at least 4,400 feet from the main facility, whilst operational considerations dictated that the two facilities should be within an hour's sailing time. Coulport, on the opposite peninsula, met both of these requirements.^[4] Additional construction took place during the 80s to support the Trident missile programme.

Notes

1. ^ Marine Services Planning Agreement
2. ^ Faslane365 accessed 17 Oct 06
3. ^ http://www.faslane365.org
4. ^ The United Kingdom, Nuclear Weapons, and the Scottish Question, Malcom Chalmers, William Walker

References

• HMNB Clyde web page
• King's Bay Trident Refit Facility

Coordinates: 56.066° N 4.817° W Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...

Royal Navy Bases
HMNB Devonport | HMNB Clyde | HMNB Portsmouth | RNAS Yeovilton | RNAS Culdrose