§ Mr. Quentin DaviesTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence which fleet submarines have been given148W Tomahawk capability; which submarines are scheduled to receive this capability; and when the conversion work will take place. [3529]
§ Mr. IngramIt is planned the two Swiftsure class, seven Trafalgar class and all of the Astute class submarines will receive the Tomahawk capability.
HMS Splendid and HMS Triumph are now Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) capable, and HMS Trafalgar will be declared TLAM capable following trials later this summer. Work to equip HMS Spartan, HMS Trenchant and HMS Turbulent with TLAM capability is currently under way as part of their major upkeep periods. It is currently planned that the remaining three submarines—HMS Talent, HMS Tireless and HMS Torbay—will become TLAM capable by about 2006.
The Astute class submarines will be built Tomahawk capable. HMS Astute, the first submarine of this new class, is due to enter service from 2005.