UK threatens Russia with 'Her Majesty's Sex and Cocaine' submarines

The United Kingdom threatens Russia with its Vanguard-class nuclear submarines armed with Trident intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org by CPOA(Phot) Thomas McDonald is licensed under OGL v1.0

HMS Vigilant MOD 45157568

Retired Royal Navy Rear Admiral Chris Parry stated that Russia would not be able to defend itself against a massive ICBM strike.

"One Trident submarine has the ability to incinerate 40 Russian cities very quickly. That is a lot of food for thought for Putin and that should make any world leader fearful," he told The Telegraph.

However, concerns have been raised about the state of Britain’s nuclear fleet. The Vanguard-class submarines are more than 25 years old, and two recent missile tests have ended in failure.

The UK possesses four Vanguard-class nuclear submarines:

• HMS Victorious,
• HMS Vanguard,
• HMS Vigilant,
• and HMS Vengeance.

Each is equipped with Trident ICBMs capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

Britain Wants to Use Nuclear Weapons Against Russia Without US Approval

A senior Royal Navy official, whose name was not disclosed by The Daily Express, stated that Britain’s nuclear deterrent forces were "completely independent".

Growing concerns in London suggest that changes in White House policy could make the UK more vulnerable. British military officials believe this could complicate the effective use of nuclear deterrence to counter "Russian aggression in Europe."

Under the Continuous At-Sea Deterrence (CASD) policy, the UK always has at least one nuclear submarine on patrol, ready to receive orders for a nuclear strike.

However, The National Interest columnist Brandon Weichert believes that Britain’s nuclear deterrence is ineffective without US involvement. He pointed out that the UK relies entirely on American Trident II submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), which are manufactured by defense contractor Lockheed Martin.

British Nuclear Submarine Dubbed 'Her Majesty’s Sex and Cocaine'

HMS Vigilant was dubbed "Her Majesty’s Sex and Cocaine"  due to a series of scandals involving on-board affairs, drug-fueled parties, prostitutes, and even pornography filming.

• In October 2017, the submarine’s captain was dismissed after engaging in a romantic relationship with a subordinate, violating the Royal Navy’s strict "no-touching rule."
• Later that month, the crew was subjected to drug tests, leading to the dismissal of several sailors. One was caught having sex with a prostitute in a swimming pool while the submarine was on a mission off the US coast.
• In 2020, some of the crew visited American bars and strip clubs while the Trident II missile was undergoing repairs. As a result, 35 navy men contracted COVID-19.
• In 2024, the captain was fired for filming pornography on duty.

Issues with Britain’s Nuclear Submarines

Britain’s nuclear submarines require repairs but suffer from maintenance delays. According to NIS, one submarine's overhaul took 7.5 years instead of the planned three years.

The cost of repairs has also skyrocketed. Initially budgeted at £200 million, the final cost exceeded £500 million ($630 million).

Despite the policy requiring at least one nuclear submarine to be at sea at all times, extended maintenance leaves the remaining submarines on duty longer than usual. According to The Sun, one submarine had to patrol for over six months, and to boost morale, sailors were given Haribo gummy candy. Upon the submarine’s return, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer boarded the vessel – a rare occurrence, as no British prime minister had done so in 12 years, Sky News said. The publication suggested that the publicized details and photos were deliberately leaked as a signal to Moscow that Britain remains a nuclear power.

Details

The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against France. The modern Royal Navy traces its origins to the English Navy of the early 16th century; the oldest of the UK's armed services, it is consequently known as the Senior Service. From the early 18th century until the Second World War, it was the world's most powerful navy. The Royal Navy played a key part in establishing and defending the British Empire, and four Imperial fortress colonies and a string of imperial bases and coaling stations secured the Royal Navy's ability to assert naval superiority. Following World War I, it was significantly reduced in size. During the Cold War, the Royal Navy transformed into a primarily anti-submarine force, hunting for Soviet submarines and mostly active in the GIUK gap. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, its focus returned to expeditionary operations.