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OBERON–CLASS SUBMARINE
Displacement
(surfaced):
2,030 tons
Displacement
(submerged):
2,410 tons
Length: 295ft (90m)
Beam: 26ft 6in (8.1m)
Draught: 18ft (5.5m)
Surface speed: 12kts
Submerged speed: 17kts
Range: 10,350nm
Maximum depth: 650ft (200m)
Officers: Seven
Sailors: 62
Arms: Six 21in bow tubes, 20 torpedoes;
two 21in short stern tubes,
preloaded with two torpedoes
Key data
LEFT
On board HMCS
Onondaga. The
submarine has
been preserved
as a museum
at Rimouski,
Québec, Canada.
(MATHIEU DUPUIS/SITE
HISTORIQUE MARITIME
DE LA POINTE-AU-PÈRE)
LEFT
HMAS Onslow off
Hawaii, following
Ex. RIMPAC '98.
(JAMES MCCARTER/
US NAVY)
the forward tubes – a combination of
Mk.24 Tigerfish and Mk.8 torpedoes.
Alternatively, these could be replaced
with up to 50 mines. However, the rear
tubes had to be preloaded and so only
two Mk.20S torpedoes were carried.
With advances in guided weapon
technology, the rear tubes would
ultimately become obsolete. The ever-
resourceful crews put them to good
use, finding them to be the ideal space
for storing beer supplies. The Canadian
Navy took a more sobering approach,
instead fitting towed array sonar – no
doubt to the crews’ displeasure.
SERVICE IN THE ROYAL NAVY
A total of 13 of the class were
commissioned for the Royal Navy,
with a distinct naming convention:
Oberon, Odin, Orpheus, Olympus, Osiris,
Onslaught, Otter, Oracle, Ocelot, Otus,
Opposum, Onyx and Opportune. The
boats’ versatility made it ideal for
a variety of uses across its career,
including weapons testing. The class’s
ability to evade detection made the
Oberon invaluable in delivering small
groups of special forces directly into
war zones. It was in this capacity that
Onyx saw service in the Falklands.
The subs’ lower displacement
compared to other such boats made it
ideal for navigating the island waters.
Onyx was the only conventional
submarine deployed in the Falklands
Conflict, although at the time there was
some confusion around whether or
not Olympus was involved owing to its
simultaneous departure from the UK.
In fact, Olympus was actually deployed
elsewhere on a NATO exercise before
embarking on a major refit.
We know from its flying of the Jolly
Roger that Opossum was deployed in
Operation Granby – the codename
given to British military operations
during the Gulf War – in 1991, again
utilised in delivering and retrieving
SBS and SAS personnel.
For the boats of the class, patrols and
surveillance were naturally a key part
of the remit – or going on a ‘sneaky’,
as crews called it – but owing to the
clandestine nature of many missions,
there is scant information available on
the operational history of these vessels.
Indeed, to this day, much of its service
story is conspicuous by its absence,
with many all-important records
remaining classified.
LIFE ABOARD
Even crews were often left in the dark
over the true nature of their sorties,
being told by senior officers that they
were on a training mission or simply
playing war games. However, their
recollections do reveal fascinating
glimpses of what they were up to, as
well as the tribulations of life aboard.
In 2013, the BBC interviewed several
of Ocelot’s crew, who served from
the 1960s Cold War peak onwards.
Typical activities included sitting on
the ocean floor, sometimes for up to a
couple of weeks at a time, listening in
on the ships above. Communication
was achieved by whispering, and
crews tip-toed around on rubber mats
to avoid detection. It was cramped,
claustrophobic and extremely smelly.
Limited water rations meant washing
was a rarity, while the inability to
dispose of rubbish and waste led to
gangways piled high with refuse.
Coupled with cigarette and diesel
fumes, and lack of daylight and fresh
air, the environment took some
adjusting to. On one occasion, a crew
member had to be sedated following a
panic attack and a desperate attempt to
escape the submerged vessel.
USE IN OTHER NAVIES
The capabilities of the Oberon-class
boats were recognised internationally
with the class utilised by several other
navies worldwide. Australia, Canada,
Brazil and Chile all placed orders. The
‘O’ naming convention was continued
in the Australian and Canadian
‘senior services’. Indeed, the Oberon
played a pivotal role in the Royal
Australian Navy. The commissioning
of four boats in the 1960s (and two
michael s
(Michael S)
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