HMS Superb (S109) - Definition and Overview

Career
Ordered:
Laid down:
Launched:	17 February 1973
Commissioned:
Decommissioned:
Fate:	Active in service as of 2005.
Struck:
General Characteristics
Displacement:	4,900 tonnes (dived)
Length:	82.9 m
Beam:	9.8 m
Draught:	8.5 m
Propulsion:
Speed:
Range:
Complement:	116
Armament:	5 tubes capable of firing: Spearfish Torpedoes RN Sub Harpoon Missiles Tomahawk Missiles
Aircraft:
Motto:

The HMS Superb (S109) is a nuclear powered submarine of the Swiftsure class serving in the Royal Navy. HMS Superb was launched on February 17, 1973 at Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. The boat was built by Vickers Shipbuilding Groups, now a division of BAE SYSTEMS.

Since being commissioned into the Royal Navy on July 11, 1974, Superb has been involved in many operations through out the world. She was the first British submarine to visit the Arctic Ocean and sail under the polar ice caps.

During the Falklands War, Superb was spotted sailing from Gibraltar, which promoted press speculation that she was sailing to the South Atlantic to enforce a maritime exclusion zone. In fact only, HMS Spartan was sailing south at that time. However the British encouraged this speculation to put pressure on the Argentine Navy.

In support of the war against terror in 2001, HMS Superb launched Tomahawk cruise missiles against Taliban targets. She also supported American and British forces in the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Currently Superb is being refitted and is expected to re-enter service in 2005.

See HMS Superb for other ships of the same name.