![]() HMS Tireless (S88) at the North Pole, April 2004
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History | |
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Name | HMS Tireless |
Ordered | 5 July 1979 |
Builder | Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering, Barrow-in-Furness |
Laid down | 6 June 1981 |
Launched | 17 March 1984 |
Sponsored by | Sue Squires |
Commissioned | 5 October 1985 |
Decommissioned | 19 June 2014 |
Homeport | HMNB Devonport, Plymouth |
Identification | Pennant number: S88 |
Status | Decommissioned[1] |
Badge | ![]() |
General characteristics [3] | |
Class and type | Trafalgar-class submarine |
Displacement | |
Length | 85.4 m (280 ft)[2] |
Beam | 9.8 m (32 ft)[2] |
Draught | 9.5 m (31 ft)[2] |
Propulsion |
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Speed | Over 30 knots (56 km/h), submerged[2] |
Range | Unlimited[2] |
Complement | 130[2] |
Electronic warfare & decoys |
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Armament |
HMS Tireless was the third Trafalgar-class nuclear submarine of the Royal Navy. Tireless is the second submarine of the Royal Navy to bear this name. Launched in March 1984, Tireless was sponsored by Sue Squires, wife of Admiral 'Tubby' Squires, and commissioned in October 1985.
During the Cold War Tireless was primarily involved in anti-submarine warfare patrols in the Atlantic Ocean.[5] After the Cold War, Tireless was deployed around the world, including to the Arctic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Pacific Ocean. At the end of its career, Tireless was involved in the search for the missing airliner, Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The vessel experienced a number of serious accidents during its operational life.
Tireless had been scheduled for retirement during 2013, but its service was extended until eventual decommissioning on 19 June 2014. Tireless was replaced on active duty by HMS Artful.[6][5]