The UK Government has reiterated its commitment to resolving the longstanding backlog of decommissioned submarines, with 23 vessels—seven in Rosyth and 16 in Devonport—awaiting dismantling and recycling.
This issue, described as a legacy of historic underinvestment, was highlighted in the Submarine Delivery Agency’s (SDA) most recent annual report.
The dismantling of HMS Swiftsure, currently underway at Rosyth, represents a critical step in addressing the disposal backlog. According to the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the dismantling of the vessel is on track for completion by the end of 2026.
“This will make HMS Swiftsure the first decommissioned Royal Navy nuclear submarine to be fully dismantled, with around 90% of its structure and components being reused or recycled,” Maria Eagle MP confirmed.
Babcock, Veolia in first dismantling of UK nuclear submarine
This demonstrator programme is designed to develop methods for swiftly and safely disposing of decommissioned submarines. “We intend to do that in a way that provides the best value for money for the taxpayer,” the MOD noted.
The approach includes extracting the reactor rather than storing the entire reactor compartment. This method allows for the recycling of a greater proportion of each submarine and significantly reduces the volume of radioactive material placed in long-term storage. Additionally, steel from decommissioned hulls is being prepared for reuse in the manufacture of future UK-built submarines.
Eagle pointed out that the programme’s focus on sustainability and innovation is critical. Workers at Rosyth have already completed the initial dismantling stages for four other decommissioned submarines, building a foundation for accelerating future efforts. “That should sustain high-skilled jobs in Rosyth as we deal with this legacy,” officials stated.
In addition to tackling the backlog, the Government is working on a long-term strategy for future submarine disposal. “We are evaluating our long-term options for future submarine disposal capability in the UK, using the lessons learned from HMS Swiftsure,” Eagle explained. This initiative aims to prevent the accumulation of decommissioned submarines by ensuring vessels can be dismantled as they leave service.
The Submarine Disposal Capability Project, established in 2022, is exploring potential sites for future disposal, including Rosyth. The project is still in its concept phase, with an initial study identifying various options. “This work is investigative,” the MOD clarified.
While the UK’s submarine capabilities are regarded as some of the best globally, the disposal backlog remains a significant challenge. The Government’s commitment to defueling, dismantling, and disposing of submarines in a safe, sustainable, and efficient manner marks an important step toward resolving this longstanding issue.
The demonstrator programme at Rosyth could set the stage for more streamlined operations in the future, ensuring that the nation meets its responsibilities at every stage of its fleet’s life cycle.
There is a sense of having to work most strenuously on countering people’s fear of radiation, oftne pumped up by people or organisations with an imperfect grasp of nuclear science. We are all ‘radiated’ all the time due to the growth of microwaves and mobile communication, etc.. The handling of nuclear waste and irradiated structures, here in submarines, is coming along well. Robotics will help. I would guess that much of the structure of these de-commissioned submarines could be quite quickly broken up once the downstream disposal routes have been established and brought to full use. The reactors I would store above ground in bunkers.
I’ll be interested in how this is done TBH.
I’m *guessing* the outer casing is stripped from a section and say a meter of pressure hull is then cut off using robotic cutting methods or even a diamond wire saw.
Rinse and repeat alternately sections from each end until the stern gets close to the reactor compartment.
Then keep going from the bows until the section before the reactor compartment.
The sections cut off are then just handled as scrap once they have been given a once over with a Geiger counter to be 100% sure there is no contamination.
I’m *guessing* that then the reactor compartment is lifted out into an enclosed space for dust control and it is trimmed to the bulkhead.
Those trimmings are checked and recycled.
The casing is then removed from around the reactor and that is checked and recycled.
Then the difficult bit the reactor compartment.
The reason Switsure was chosen was low levels of contamination as she had an ‘uneventful nuclear’ life!
Even so I’m guessing the process for cutting up the pressure hull round the reactor will need to be very careful and a low slower than the other bits.
I’d *guess* that it would involve cutting just enough of the pressure hull open to lift the reactor out and put it into transport containment.
Once the reactor is gone things are given the once over and can get moving using robotic cutting.
I’d be suprised if most of the compartment wasn’t low level waste.
3 different problems
-the fuel , this is the hard part as it was never engineered to be removed easyly (sealed for life, weapon grade) contrarily to countries (China , France)where a robot remove the fuel (low enriched , “civil”grade, thru an hatch, in 1to3 weeks, after 10 Years.Not only removed but also recycled (into what ) or if possible into civil fuel by “downblending.This is a major endeavour.Russian SSN or SSBN are rusting in Severomorsk
-the reactor, tbe heat exchanger..essentiaily irradiated StSteel with period in the few years range.This section could be sealed and stroed under a roof on a concrete slab for 20/30 years.
– the remaining parts with (may be asbestos and other chemical toxics) as in older ships