6-foot ‘hole’: A nuclear submarine was ‘severely damaged’ while tracking Russian ships

All the facts that matter: In 2015, the Royal Navy’s HMS Talenta Trafalgar-class submarine, suffered significant damage after colliding with floating ice while following Russian ships, leaving a six-foot hole in the conning tower. Despite this incident, HMS Talent remained in service until 2022.

-As one of the British Trafalgar class submarines, Talent was equipped with advanced sonar and torpedo systems, including the improved Spearfish torpedoes.

-A similar incident occurred in 2016 when the Astute-class HMS Ambush collided with a merchant ship near Gibraltar. These accidents highlight the risks faced by submarines, although the Royal Navy’s fleet remains among the most capable in the world.

When HMS Talent Collided with ice: the 2015 incident that shocked the Royal Navy

Although modern military submarines largely have the most advanced technologies, these mighty ships are not immune to accidents. In 2015, the British HMS Talent suffered a blow when it collided with floating ice while following Russian ships. In images widely circulated on social media, the Trafalgar-class hunter-killer submarine appears to have a seriously damaged fin.

The collision left a six-foot hole in the top of the ship’s conning tower. Despite this unfortunate event, the British submarine remained in service with the Royal Navy until 2022.

Overview of the Trafalgar class submarines and capabilities

The sixth submarine of the Trafalgar class, built in the early 1970s, HMS Talent was designed as the Cold War arms race was heating up. These powerful boats are largely designed based on the previous Swiftsure class. HMS Trafalgar, the leading submarine of her class, was completed in 1983, followed by six sister ships. UK-based manufacturer Lickers Shipbuilding and Engineering from Barrow-in-Furness shipyard built each Trafalgar submarine from start to finish.

Like the Swiftsure boats, the Trafalgar submarines are equipped with the Rolls-Royce PWR1 Core three. What is notable, however, is that the newer class of ships possesses a reduced acoustic signature, making these submarines more difficult for adversaries to detect.

HMS Talent, like her sister ships, was approximately 280 feet long with a displacement of 5,200 long tons. Talent, along with HMS Torbay, HMS Trenchant and HMS Triumph, were all fitted with the SONAR 2076 system, which was previously claimed to represent a “step change” from previous sonars according to manufacturer BAE Systems. Over the years, Trafalgar ships have undergone several upgrades to incorporate the latest and greatest technologies. In 2021, HMS Talent was due to conduct trials of the improved Spearfish torpedo variant off the coast of Scotland. According to Naval Technology, the British submarine fired four of these weapons, allowing the torpedo to reach initial operational capability with the service.

The newest Trafalgar-class submarine, HMS Triumph, is equipped with even more powerful armament. As described by the Royal Navy: “HMS Triumph possesses an impressive arsenal to suppress any threat. Tomahawk cruise missiles can pick up targets up to 1,000 miles away, and local surface targets can be engaged by the onboard Spearfish and Harpoon missiles.”

While the collision with HMS Talent was a blow to the Royal Navy, another collision with a British submarine followed shortly afterwards. In 2016, the Astute-class SSN HMS Ambush nuclear strike struck a merchant ship near Gibraltar, sustaining external damage. Although no sailors were injured and the submarine’s nuclear power plant was not hit, this collision came on the heels of the HMS Talent incident.

The Royal Navy may not have the best luck when it comes to submarine safety at sea, but its ships are among the best in the world. Today, the Astute class is known for its armament power, advanced electronic support measures and quiet acoustics. These submarines will undoubtedly remain an integral part of the Royal Navy for decades to come.

About the Author: Maya Carlin

Maya Carlin, National Security Writer at The National Interest, is an analyst at the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has had bylines in many publications, including The National Interest, Jerusalem Post and Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.

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