HMS Vengeance (S31) is the **fourth and final Vanguard-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine** (SSBN) of the Royal Navy, built by Vickers Shipbuilding at Barrow-in-Furness, launched in September 1998, and commissioned on 27 November 1999. As the youngest of the class, displacing nearly 16,000 tonnes submerged, it forms a key part of Britain's continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent, capable of carrying up to 16 Trident II D5 missiles with multiple warheads, alongside Spearfish torpedoes for self-defence. Based at HMNB Clyde in Faslane, Scotland, Vengeance has conducted extended global patrols, including a notable 201-day deployment completed in March 2024, and remains in active service as of 2026, contributing to prolonged deterrent operations amid delays in the successor Dreadnought-class programme.
