HMNB Clyde facts for kids

Quick facts for kids HMNB Clyde
Gare Loch, Argyll and Bute, Scotland
An aerial view of HMNB Clyde
HMNB Clyde Show map of Argyll and Bute HMNB Clyde Show map of the United Kingdom Location in Argyll and Bute
Coordinates	56°03′58″N 04°49′03″W / 56.06611°N 4.81750°W / 56.06611; -4.81750
Type	Naval base
Area	87 hectares (210 acres)
Site information
Owner	Ministry of Defence
Operator	Royal Navy
Controlled by	Naval Base Commander, Clyde
Condition	Operational
Site history
Built	1940s
In use	1940s – present
Garrison information
Current commander	Commodore Sharon Malkin: December 2022 - Present
Garrison	Submarine Service

His Majesty's Naval Base, Clyde (HMNB Clyde), also known as HMS Neptune, is a very important base for the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. It is located at Faslane on the Gare Loch in Scotland. This base is special because it is the home of Britain's nuclear weapons. These weapons are carried by nuclear submarines, which are armed with Trident missiles. HMNB Clyde is one of three main operating bases for the Royal Navy.

History of HMNB Clyde

Faslane was first built and used as a naval base during the Second World War. In the 1960s, the British Government decided to buy Polaris missiles from the United States. These missiles would carry British-made nuclear weapons. Four special submarines were built to carry these missiles. These submarines were HMS Resolution, HMS Repulse, HMS Renown, and HMS Revenge. All four of these submarines were based at Faslane.

Faslane was chosen during the Cold War because of its great location. It is on the Gare Loch, which is a quiet but deep body of water. This spot allows submarines to quickly and secretly reach the North Atlantic Ocean. From there, they can go to their patrolling areas. Faslane was also close to an American submarine base at Holy Loch at the time.

By 1971, Faslane was home to two important groups of submarines. These included the 3rd Submarine Squadron, which had nuclear and diesel patrol submarines. It also housed the 10th Submarine Squadron, which was made up of the four Polaris submarines.

Vessels and Units at Faslane

Many important ships and groups are based at Faslane.

Role and Operations of the Base

HMS Vigilant alongside Faslane Naval Base.

HMS Astute arriving at Faslane for the first time.

HMNB Clyde is located on the eastern side of Gare Loch in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is about 25 miles (40 km) west of Glasgow. The submarine base includes a few different areas. The two main ones are Faslane itself and RNAD Coulport, which is about 2 miles (3 km) west of Faslane.

Faslane is also a site for Defence Equipment and Support. This means it helps to maintain and supply military equipment. Companies like Babcock Marine and Technology and Serco Denholm help run the base.

USS Arleigh Burke departing HMNB Clyde

The naval base at Faslane is officially called HMS Neptune. Naval personnel who work at the base but are not part of a ship's crew are considered part of "Ship's Company." Both the Gare Loch and Loch Long are sea lochs that stretch north from the Firth of Clyde. The base is home to Britain's fleet of Vanguard-class nuclear-powered submarines, which carry nuclear weapons. It also hosts conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarines. The 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines helps protect the base.

The person in charge of HMNB Clyde is the Naval Base Commander (Clyde), Commodore Sharon Malkin. Many other important groups are also based here. These include Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland (FOSNI) and the Scottish Headquarters of the Ministry of Defence Police. The base employs about 3,000 service members, 800 of their families, and 4,000 civilian workers. Many of these civilian workers are from Babcock Marine. This makes the base a very important part of the economy for the local area.

By 2020, all 11 Royal Navy submarines were planned to be based at Faslane. This means the number of people working directly at the base would increase to 8,200. In 2018, the Secretary of State for Scotland, David Mundell, said that this would help protect the country and provide skilled jobs in the area for many years.

Safety at Faslane

The safety of the base is very important. "Exercise Evening Star" is a yearly test that checks how the base would respond to a nuclear weapon incident. This test is carried out by the Office for Nuclear Regulation. In 2011, some parts of the test needed improvement, showing that safety procedures are always being reviewed.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) keeps very careful records of any safety events. These records include even very small issues, like forgetting to fill out a form before painting. The MoD says that these reports help them learn and improve safety all the time. They also state that none of the reported events have ever put the public or personnel at risk. This strict system helps make sure that safety is always a top priority at the base.

Protests Against Nuclear Weapons

Because nuclear weapons are present at Faslane, the base often sees protests. Groups like the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and other Scottish groups protest against nuclear weapons. Since 1982, there has been a permanent peace camp outside the base gates. People often hold demonstrations and protests there, especially on Wednesdays.

The presence of nuclear weapons at Faslane is also a topic in Scottish politics. The Scottish National Party (SNP), the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP), and the Scottish Greens are all against having nuclear weapons. However, the SNP has said they would keep the base for other types of naval ships. Members from these parties, and even some from the Labour Party, often join the protests.

Police at the south gate of the Faslane base during a protest.

Faslane 365 Campaign

The Faslane 365 campaign was a year-long protest at the base. It was a peaceful way for people to show their strong feelings about getting rid of Britain's nuclear weapons.

The campaign started in September 2006. The first protest happened on October 1, 2006, led by a group of women who had also protested at Greenham Common. The campaign officially ended with a "Big Blockade" on October 1, 2007.

During Faslane 365, 131 different groups took part in blocking the base. About 1150 arrests were made during these protests.