The author discusses the Royal Navy’s 50-year commitment to a Continuous At Sea Deterrent (CASD) and argues that this is a natural continuation of the Navy’s primary historical role – in other words as essentially relevant as ever. New Beginnings In April 1969 HMS Resolution the RN’s first ballistic missile submarine (SSBN) sailed on her fifth deterrent patrol, but this was the start of something new for the Submarine Service. RN submarines had been deploying on deterrent patrols since Resolution first sailed in June 1968, but until her fifth patrol responsibility for provision of the UK’s Nuc…
