HMS Victorious (S29) is the **second Vanguard-class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine** (SSBN) of the Royal Navy, built by Vickers Shipbuilding at Barrow-in-Furness, launched in September 1993, and commissioned on 7 January 1995. As part of Britain's continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent, it is capable of carrying up to 16 **Trident II D5** missiles with multiple warheads, alongside **Spearfish** torpedoes for self-defence, and operates with two alternating crews (Port and Starboard). Based at HMNB Clyde in Faslane, Scotland, Victorious achieved milestones such as completing the UK's 100th Vanguard-class deterrent patrol in 2013. Following arrival in Devonport in May 2023, it is currently undergoing a major £560 million deep maintenance and life-extension programme by Babcock, including upgrades to over 90% of its systems, to sustain operations into the 2030s amid delays in the Dreadnought-class successor programme as of early 2026.
