![]() HMS Dreadnought decommissioned in 1980, has now been tied up in Rosyth far longer than she was in active service. Stricter rules have added more complexity and cost to the dismantling process, ironically adding delays and increasing the amount of nuclear waste awaiting appropriate disposal. Over time the nuclear regulatory frameworks have become ever-more demanding than when the submarines were conceived. More than £500M has been spent on submarine storage and maintenance since the RN’s first nuclear boat was withdrawn. 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. 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. 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. Unfortunately, successive governments failed to make arrangements for the timely disposal of these boats. An outstanding industrial, and political effort during the Cold War provided the RN with a formidable nuclear submarine force. Since the 1960s, nuclear submarines have become arguably amongst the most important defence assets of the UK. Here we look at the process and the modest progress in efforts to dismantle them. There are currently 21 former Royal Navy nuclear submarines awaiting disposal, 7 in Rosyth and 14 in Devonport. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |