HMS Conqueror (S48)

HMS Conqueror (S48)
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Ship caption	HMS *Conqueror* returning to Faslane, 1982.

HMS Conqueror (S48). A Churchill-class submarine of the Royal Navy, HMS *Conqueror* is the only nuclear-powered submarine to have engaged an enemy ship with torpedoes, sinking the ARA General Belgrano during the Falklands War. Commissioned in 1971, the boat served throughout the Cold War before being decommissioned in 1990. Its actions in the South Atlantic remain a significant and debated episode in modern naval history.

Design and description

HMS *Conqueror* was the third and final boat of the Churchill-class submarine, which were improved versions of the earlier Valiant-class submarine. Built by Cammell Laird at their Birkenhead shipyard, the submarine was launched in 1969. As a nuclear submarine, it was powered by a Rolls-Royce PWR1 pressurised water reactor, providing virtually unlimited range and the ability to remain submerged for months. The boat displaced 4,900 tonnes submerged and had a complement of 103 officers and ratings. Its primary armament consisted of six 21-inch torpedo tubes, capable of firing the Mark 8 torpedo and the more advanced Tigerfish torpedo. For surveillance, it was equipped with a Type 1001 surface search radar and a Type 2007 sonar array.

Service history

*Conqueror* was commissioned into the Royal Navy on 9 November 1971, joining the Submarine Service. Its early service was spent as part of the Navy's deterrent and reconnaissance forces against the Soviet Navy during the height of the Cold War. The submarine conducted numerous patrols in the North Atlantic and the Arctic Ocean, shadowing Soviet Northern Fleet vessels and gathering intelligence. In 1978, it underwent a major refit at Rosyth Dockyard to update its systems and reactor core. Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, *Conqueror* participated in various NATO exercises, honing its anti-submarine and fleet warfare skills under the command of officers like Commander Chris Wreford-Brown.

Falklands War and Belgrano sinking

The submarine's most famous mission began in April 1982, following the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands. *Conqueror*, commanded by Commander Chris Wreford-Brown, was ordered south as part of the British naval task force sent to retake the islands. On 2 May 1982, while patrolling the Total Exclusion Zone south of the islands, it located the Argentine Navy cruiser ARA General Belgrano. The *Belgrano*, escorted by two destroyers, was judged by the British government to be a threat to the task force. Following authorization from the War Cabinet in London, *Conqueror* fired three Mark 8 torpedoes, two of which struck the cruiser. The *Belgrano* sank rapidly, resulting in the loss of 323 Argentine sailors. The sinking, which occurred outside the declared exclusion zone, provoked major political controversy but was deemed a legal act of war by the British government. The action effectively removed the major surface threat of the Argentine Navy from the conflict.

Decommissioning and fate

Following the Falklands War, *Conqueror* returned to routine patrols and exercises. By the late 1980s, the Churchill-class submarine was becoming outdated compared to newer vessels like the Trafalgar-class submarine. HMS *Conqueror* was decommissioned at Devonport Dockyard in 1990. After removal of its nuclear fuel, the boat was laid up in Rosyth Dockyard awaiting disposal. Unlike some preserved Royal Navy vessels, such as HMS Belfast, *Conqueror* was not saved for the nation. The submarine was eventually stripped of usable parts and slowly dismantled, with the process lasting into the early 2000s. Its distinctive fin, or conning tower, was preserved and is displayed at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Gosport.

In popular culture

The sinking of the *Belgrano* and the role of HMS *Conqueror* have been depicted in several films and documentaries. It features prominently in the 1989 satirical film Whoops Apocalypse and is a central subject in the 2002 documentary The Falklands War: The Untold Story. The submarine and its commander are referenced in songs by musical artists such as Elvis Costello in his song "Shipbuilding" and Crass in "Sheep Farming in the Falklands". The event is also a frequent case study in discussions on the ethics of war, featured in programs by the BBC and debates involving figures like Margaret Thatcher and Tam Dalyell.

Category:Churchill-class submarines Category:Cold War submarines of the United Kingdom Category:Falklands War