Project D154: Dismantle ex-Royal Navy Nuclear Submarines
Summary
Since the 1960s, nuclear submarines have become arguably amongst the most important defence assets of the UK. An outstanding industrial, and political effort during the Cold War provided the RN with a formidable nuclear submarine force. Unfortunately, successive governments failed to make arrangements for the timely disposal of these boats. In a less environmentally conscious era, filling the boats with concrete and sinking them in the deep ocean was the original plan but the disposal of nuclear waste at sea was banned by the London Dumping Convention in 1983. Planning for the dismantling of these submarines should have been started at that time, but only in the last 10 years has there been a serious effort to grip the issue.
Small reactors sealed up and contained within the boats do not represent a great hazard but maintaining them safely while they await dismantling is a growing drain on the defence budget. More than £500M has been spent on submarine storage and maintenance since the RN’s first nuclear boat was withdrawn.