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The aftermath of the second world conflict in twenty years reflected
that of the first, as rapid and severe cuts were made in all the
armed forces. However, the almost instantaneous onset of the Cold
War, and with it the threat to Britain of a burgeoning Soviet
submarine threat, saved the Royal Navy Submarine Service from
the worst effects. The country could not afford to maintain a
large surface fleet so, in 1948, the Service was given the main
role in the interception and destruction of enemy submarines.
As a result, by the mid-1950s, Britain had sixty boats (three
more than in 1939) and submarines made up a greater proportion
of the total strength of the Royal Navy than ever before.
Some improved T-class and nearly all the sixteen A-class submarines
(the only ones designed during the Second World War) continued
to serve, but the first new postwar designs were the twenty one
boats of the Porpoise and Oberon classes built between 1955 and
1964. Specifically constructed for anti-submarine operations,
they were large, very quiet patrol submarines with excellent long-range
sensors and significant underwater endurance capable of independent,
worldwide deployment. In the 1960s and 1970s they were the mainstay
of the Submarine Service, undertaking anti-submarine and anti-ship
operations, forward surveillance, special forces activities, weapons
development and training. The Oberon class was undoubtedly a world
leader of its type at this time. In the late 1980s, updating of
sonar equipment and torpedoes and the addition of a missile capability
allowed Oberons to extend their service until 1993. Both the Porpoise
and Oberon boats served with great success and distinction all
over the world for more than thirty years.
In the late 1980s, modern Upholder class submarines were introduced
to replace the O and P boats. They were designed with the specific
aim of filling the North Atlantic gap astride the routes from
northern Soviet bases. However, the four that were built served
for only a short time before becoming victims of the end of the
Cold War and the consequent defence cuts. Compared to their nuclear-powered
counterparts, the use of conventional submarines was limited by
their slow speed of deployment around the world and shorter underwater
endurance. As a result, they were withdrawn from service in the
Royal Navy in 1994.
See Images 17 and 18 in the Image
Gallery.
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