With cross-party members of the Armed Forces Parliamentary Scheme, I've spent the past two days at HM Naval Base Clyde - home to the core of the Submarine Service, including the Vanguard-class independent strategic nuclear deterrent & the new generation Astute-class hunter-killer submarines.
Visiting onboard HMS Ambush provided a vivid insight into the reality of living and working in a submarine - an intense focus on seeking and tracking the enemy without being spotted, while away from home for months at a time in tight living quarters with very little contact from loved ones.
At the base itself, protection from the police and 43 Commando, superb training in lifelike simulators & a massive infrastructure support service combine to ensure we can maintain a constant at sea deterrent. I was hugely impressed by the remarkable men & women serving ashore and underwater to protect our nation.
(Due to the high security requirements at HMNB Clyde, it isn't possible to take photographs on the base)
