Security Oracle News Archive

Counter Terrorism Sub Returns Home

Fri, October 20, 2006

Source: MoD

A Scots-based submarine has returned home after a 113 day deployment in support of Global Counter Terrorism and humanitarian relief.

A Scots-based submarine has returned home after a 113 day deployment in support of Global Counter Terrorism and humanitarian relief.

HMS Superb, a Swiftsure-class attack submarine, steamed back into Scottish waters having clocked up 26,000 miles in support of UK operations in the Mediterranean, Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean.

In the first half of her deployment, Superb supported the UK effort to safely evacuate UK nationals from Lebanon in Operation Highbrow. Her specific role was to help protect the Royal Navy ships involved in the operation, by using her sensors to watch for any surface or aerial threat to the UK naval force.

During the conflict Hezbollah fired an anti-ship cruise missile at an Israeli warship, exactly the sort of hazard that Superb could have provided early warning of, should the British flotilla have been attacked.

Following a stop in Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to take on supplies, Superb continued national operations as part of the war against Global Counter Terrorism.

Commanding Officer of the 5,000 tonne, 82 metre long Superb, Commander Nick Hibberd, said:

"All 120 of my crew, and their colleagues in support of the boat's efforts at HM Naval Base Clyde, should be extremely proud of what we have collectively achieved. The ship's company have worked very hard since Christmas to get Superb ready to sail and worked up to full operational capability ready for our deployment which began in June.

"Such was the expert engineering support received at our home port, that we were able to take the boat to sea after four years alongside without any hitches and, once again, demonstrate just how effective and relevant submarines are to current UK operations.

"My personal objectives now include allowing my crew to get off the boat and back to their families as soon as is practicable to take much deserved and belated leave, and to bed the submarine down at the Base for her new maintenance programme before we sail again next Spring."

Upon returning to Clyde HMS Superb first headed to the Royal Navy Armament Depot at Coulport to offload her weapons, before moving round to the Faslane navy base. As many of the crew as could be spared were let off the boat to join their families at a specially arranged event in the Senior Rates' Mess on the Naval Base.

MoD