Under current planning HMS Vanguard is expected to rejoin the fleet next year following the completion of its delayed LOP(R). (Crown Copyright)

UK Royal Navy (RN) chiefs hope the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) HMS Vanguard will have competed a delayed refuelling next year and sail to the east coast of the US to test fire its Trident weapon system.

A senior RN source told Janes on 8 October that the submarine would complete the refit – which has taken twice as long as expected and is believed to be considerably over budget – in time for the weapon demonstration “in mid-2022”.

Vanguard started its three-year Long Overhaul Period (Refuel) – (LOP[R]) – at Babcock International's Devonport facility in Plymouth in December 2015, but the project has experienced technical problems and the imposition of safety restrictions during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Microscopic cracks were detected in similar fuel rods to those used on Vanguard

Under current planning HMS Vanguard is expected to rejoin the fleet next year following the completion of its delayed LOP(R). (Crown Copyright)

UK Royal Navy (RN) chiefs hope the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) HMS Vanguard will have competed a delayed refuelling next year and sail to the east coast of the US to test fire its Trident weapon system.

A senior RN source told Janes on 8 October that the submarine would complete the refit – which has taken twice as long as expected and is believed to be considerably over budget – in time for the weapon demonstration “in mid-2022”.

Vanguard started its three-year Long Overhaul Period (Refuel) – (LOP[R]) – at Babcock International's Devonport facility in Plymouth in December 2015, but the project has experienced technical problems and the imposition of safety restrictions during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Microscopic cracks were detected in similar fuel rods to those used on Vanguard

Under current planning HMS Vanguard is expected to rejoin the fleet next year following the completion of its delayed LOP(R). (Crown Copyright)

UK Royal Navy (RN) chiefs hope the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) HMS Vanguard will have competed a delayed refuelling next year and sail to the east coast of the US to test fire its Trident weapon system.

A senior RN source told Janes on 8 October that the submarine would complete the refit – which has taken twice as long as expected and is believed to be considerably over budget – in time for the weapon demonstration “in mid-2022”.

Vanguard started its three-year Long Overhaul Period (Refuel) – (LOP[R]) – at Babcock International's Devonport facility in Plymouth in December 2015, but the project has experienced technical problems and the imposition of safety restrictions during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Microscopic cracks were detected in similar fuel rods to those used on Vanguard

Under current planning HMS Vanguard is expected to rejoin the fleet next year following the completion of its delayed LOP(R). (Crown Copyright)

UK Royal Navy (RN) chiefs hope the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) HMS Vanguard will have competed a delayed refuelling next year and sail to the east coast of the US to test fire its Trident weapon system.

A senior RN source told Janes on 8 October that the submarine would complete the refit – which has taken twice as long as expected and is believed to be considerably over budget – in time for the weapon demonstration “in mid-2022”.

Vanguard started its three-year Long Overhaul Period (Refuel) – (LOP[R]) – at Babcock International's Devonport facility in Plymouth in December 2015, but the project has experienced technical problems and the imposition of safety restrictions during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Microscopic cracks were detected in similar fuel rods to those used on Vanguard

Under current planning HMS Vanguard is expected to rejoin the fleet next year following the completion of its delayed LOP(R). (Crown Copyright)

UK Royal Navy (RN) chiefs hope the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) HMS Vanguard will have competed a delayed refuelling next year and sail to the east coast of the US to test fire its Trident weapon system.

A senior RN source told Janes on 8 October that the submarine would complete the refit – which has taken twice as long as expected and is believed to be considerably over budget – in time for the weapon demonstration “in mid-2022”.

Vanguard started its three-year Long Overhaul Period (Refuel) – (LOP[R]) – at Babcock International's Devonport facility in Plymouth in December 2015, but the project has experienced technical problems and the imposition of safety restrictions during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Microscopic cracks were detected in similar fuel rods to those used on Vanguard

Under current planning HMS Vanguard is expected to rejoin the fleet next year following the completion of its delayed LOP(R). (Crown Copyright)

UK Royal Navy (RN) chiefs hope the nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) HMS Vanguard will have competed a delayed refuelling next year and sail to the east coast of the US to test fire its Trident weapon system.

A senior RN source told Janes on 8 October that the submarine would complete the refit – which has taken twice as long as expected and is believed to be considerably over budget – in time for the weapon demonstration “in mid-2022”.

Vanguard started its three-year Long Overhaul Period (Refuel) – (LOP[R]) – at Babcock International's Devonport facility in Plymouth in December 2015, but the project has experienced technical problems and the imposition of safety restrictions during the Covid 19 pandemic.

Microscopic cracks were detected in similar fuel rods to those used on Vanguard