The reason for Faslane, officially known as HMNB Clyde, hosting the UK’s nuclear submarines is often the subject of conspiracy theories but what is the reality?

Faslane was first constructed and used as a base in World War II. During the 1960s as the Government began negotiating the Polaris Sales Agreement with the United States, the submarines carrying these nuclear weapons were to be based at Faslane.

Faslane itself was chosen to host these vessels at the height of the Cold War because of its geographic position, which forms a bastion on the relatively secluded but deep and easily navigable Gare Loch and Firth of Clyde on the west coast of Scotland.

The position of the base provides for rapid and stealthy access through the North Channel to the submarine patrolling areas in the North Atlantic, something that can’t be replicated by a base further south or on another coast. The frequent cloud cover also offers a great advantage for submarines coming and going.

Faslane is the second biggest single-site employer in Scotland, after the new Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow which employs around 11,000 staff.

Direct employment at the base is currently around 6,500 with many more thousands dependent on the base for jobs through the supply chain. It is understood that around 11,000 are directly and indirectly reliant on the base.

All 11 Royal Navy submarines will be based on the Clyde at Faslane from 2020, seeing the number of people directly employed at the base rising to 8,200.

In addition to the nuclear submarines, the base is home to 10 conventional surface vessels of the Sandown class mine countermeasure and Archer class patrol vessel fleets.

The annual spend generated by the base in the local area and the wider region is estimated to be more than £270 million per year.

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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lieutenant lamb
lieutenant lamb
7 years ago

UK Trident nuclear submarines a deterrent* Plan B. base far better in Falkland Islands.

Iain
Iain
7 years ago

Could base the trident carrying subs in USA, would be just as effective & launced into Atlantic just as quick … there are far better uses Faslane could be used for, things that provide real deterrence which trident can’t & would be far less of a hazard to marine environment

Tony P
Tony P
7 years ago

It was chosen, over Falmouth, due to the proposed fall in shipbuilding on the Clyde to prop up the unemployed, I believe

Suzanne
Suzanne
7 years ago

Why do the employment figures in this article differ so markedly from those of the MoD? In the document below, the figure for Faslane and Coulport is suggested to be around 4K across Scotland and not Faslane or Coulport in particular. Does your figure take into account those contractors who work there but do not live in the area?

http://www.gmbscotland.org.uk/assets/media/documents/campaigns/defence/Fraser%20of%20Allander%20Shipbuilding%20Report%20%20FINALGMB%20Cover.pdf

Eddie
Eddie
7 years ago

The ballistic missile boats might need a base with speedy and secure access to their patrol areas but the hunter killers are deployed worldwide, so Faslane is as far away from their patrol areas as they can get.

Stephen Shaw
Stephen Shaw
7 years ago

What will happen if Scotland becomes independant?

Dennis R
Dennis R
6 years ago
Reply to  Stephen Shaw

Milford haven would be ideal ?

James
James
6 years ago

We’ve all heard it.

“They are there because England didn’t want to put its weapons of mass murder anywhere near English people in case they went off!”

Best response:

Is that why the explosivey bits are made 40 miles from London?