Exploring Devonport's Submarine Graveyard in 3 Basin at HMNB Devonport

I used Google Earth to explore His Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Devonport in Plymouth, UK, circling the submarine pen.

I’m fascinated—this place has more submarines than anywhere else. We come upon 3 Basin, where 13 old, rusted Royal Navy nuclear submarines wait to be dismantled, their hulls worn from past wars.

These subs, built over decades, served in conflicts from World War II to the Falklands War, Cold War, Balkan wars, and Middle East campaigns.

Some carried missiles as deterrents, others hunted ships or ran secret missions.

One fought at Mers-el-Kébir in July 1940, when the British attacked a French fleet after France surrendered to Germany to stop Nazi control; HMS Valiant dodged French depth charges as shells rained down, an operation that killed over 1,200 French sailors and strained UK-France relations.

Another sank the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano on May 2, 1982, during the Falklands War, killing 323 Argentine sailors and shifting the war’s momentum, though it sparked debate over its necessity—the only time a British nuclear sub sank an enemy ship.

Others saw action too: one aided reconnaissance in the 1982 Falklands War, another fired missiles in the 1990s Balkan wars and 2000s Middle East conflicts, and one set a long patrol record in the 2010s.

Now retired since the 1990s or 2010s, they’re separate from active subs at Devonport.

Maintenance costs £7.1 million yearly, totaling £500 million since 1980, with dismantling at £96 million each, delayed by complexity and no waste site.

Nine still hold nuclear fuel, risking leaks if mishandled, though deemed safe by the Ministry. They rust in the calm waters, a costly, risky relic near populated areas.