HMNB Clyde (Faslane)

All four Vanguard-class ballistic missile submarines are based at HMNB Clyde at Faslane, forming the core of the United Kingdom's continuous at-sea nuclear deterrent. The base has maintained this patrol role since the Polaris program began in the late 1960s.

HMNB Clyde is located at Faslane on the Gare Loch in Argyll and Bute, Scotland, approximately 25 miles from Glasgow. The nearby Royal Naval Armaments Depot at Coulport stores the nuclear warheads for the Trident missile system.

There are no current plans to relocate the nuclear deterrent from HMNB Clyde, although Scottish independence could theoretically complicate the basing arrangement. The Scottish National Party has historically opposed the presence of nuclear weapons in Scotland.

The Vanguard-class submarines will eventually be replaced by the new Dreadnought-class submarines, which are currently under construction. HMNB Clyde is undergoing significant infrastructure upgrades to accommodate the replacement fleet in the coming decades.