View source for Explorer-class submarine

{{Short description|1958 class of British submarines}}
{{Distinguish|Sub Marine Explorer}}
{{Other uses|Explorer class (disambiguation){{!}}Explorer class}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image = Explorer_class_submarine.jpg
| Ship caption = ''Explorer''-class submarine (HMS ''Explorer'' (S30))
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
| Name = 
| Builders = [[Vickers-Armstrongs]], [[Barrow-in-Furness]]
| Operators = 
| Class before = {{sclass|Amphion|submarine|4}}
| Class after = [[British Porpoise-class submarine|''Porpoise'' class]]
| Subclasses = 
| Cost = £2,000,000
| Built range = 
| In service range = 
| In commission range = 1958&ndash;1965
| Total ships building = 
| Total ships planned = 
| Total ships completed = 2
| Total ships cancelled = 
| Total ships active = 
| Total ships laid up = 
| Total ships lost = 
| Total ships retired = 
| Total ships preserved = 
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Hide header = 
| Header caption = 
| Ship type = [[Submarine]]
| Ship displacement = *780 tons surfaced
*1,000 tons submerged
| Ship length = {{convert|178|ft|m|abbr=on|disp=flip}}
| Ship beam = {{convert|15|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on|disp=flip}}
| Ship height = 
| Ship draught = {{convert|11|ft|m|abbr=on|disp=flip}}
| Ship depth = 
| Ship decks = 
| Ship power = 
| Ship propulsion = *[[High Test Peroxide]] (HTP) steam raising plant driving [[steam turbine]]s (submerged)
*[[Diesel-electric]] (surfaced)
*2 shafts
| Ship speed = {{convert|25|kn|km/h|disp=flip|abbr=on}} (average submerged, 30 knots peak)
| Ship range = 
| Ship endurance = 
| Ship test depth = 
| Ship complement = 49
| Ship armament = 
| Ship armour = 
| Ship notes = 
}}
|}

The two '''''Explorer''-class submarines''' were experimental vessels built for the [[Royal Navy]] to test a propulsion system based on the use of highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide ([[high-test peroxide]], HTP) and [[diesel fuel]] to achieve high underwater endurance and speeds.

Germany had started experimenting with this technology early in the [[Second World War]] and developed it into the [[Hellmuth Walter|Walter]] cycle. They had built some experimental boats.  One of these, the [[Type XVII submarine|Type XVII]] [[German submarine U-1407|''U-1407'']] [[U-boat]] submarine, which had been scuttled at the end of the war, was salvaged and eventually recommissioned into the [[Royal Navy]] as {{HMS|Meteorite}}.

This eventually led to the construction of the two ''Explorer''-class experimental [[submarine]] boats, which used [[steam turbine]]s, the steam being generated using heat from the catalysed interaction of HTP and diesel oil. They used the [[British Porpoise-class submarine|''Porpoise''-class]] hull, modified with retractable superstructure fittings to help streamlining. Being purely experimental craft they had no torpedo tubes or radar fitted, only one periscope and were equipped with backup diesel engines to recharge the batteries and propel them on the surface.<ref name="Miller & Jordan. Page 63">Miller & Jordan, p. 63</ref>

The first, ''Excalibur'', was commissioned in March 1958. They were very fast boats, achieving a peak speed of over 30 knots,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=George |date=30 May 2024 |title=HMS EXPLORER - A Personal experience by George Brian Brown |url=http://www.hmsresolution.org.uk/forends/SUSPENEDED%20PAGES}}</ref> a speed record at the time for a submarine, a sustained underwater speed of around {{convert|26.5|kn|km/h|0|disp=flip|abbr=on}} for period up to 3 hours, and {{convert|12|kn|km/h|abbr=on|disp=flip}} for 15 hours on one turbine.<ref name="Miller & Jordan. Page 63"/>  Because of the use of hydrogen peroxide as a [[hair bleach]], the submarines were nicknamed the ''Blonde'' class. As well as providing experience with this type of technology, they also allowed the Royal Navy to practise against fast moving underwater targets.  However the use of HTP was not successful, and there were several explosions, which resulted in the second nickname of ''Exploder'' being applied to the class and ''Explorer'' in particular, while ''Excalibur'' had the nickname "Excruciater".<ref>Preston, p. 527</ref> The subsequent use of HTP to power torpedoes led to the loss of {{HMS|Sidon|P259|6}} and the loss of the {{ship|Russian submarine|Kursk}}.

When the United States developed a [[nuclear reactor]] which could be installed in a submarine, the HTP project was abandoned.  It was decided that it was not worth converting the class into normal diesel submarines. As a result, ''Explorer'' was sold for £13,500 to [[Thos. W. Ward]] for breaking up; ''Excalibur'' in turn was also subsequently sold to Thos. W. Ward.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.btinternet.com/~warship/Postwar/Submarines/perox.htm |title=Explorer Class Experimental Submarines |accessdate=2009-03-08 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090404034055/http://www.btinternet.com/~warship/Postwar/Submarines/perox.htm |archivedate=4 April 2009 }}. Retrieved 7-3-2009.</ref>

Other countries have since developed the concept of the non-nuclear [[air-independent propulsion]] submarine to the point where it is a safe technology albeit as an auxiliary power source to a conventional diesel-electric drive, although hydrogen peroxide has long been abandoned and liquid oxygen is generally now preferred.

==Boats==
{| class="wikitable" align="center"
! Name
! Pennant No.
! Builder
! Launched
! Commissioned
! Status
|-
|{{HMS|Explorer|submarine|2}}
|S30
|rowspan=2|[[Vickers-Armstrongs]], [[Barrow-in-Furness]]
|5 March 1954
|28 November 1956
|Sold for scrap
|-
|{{HMS|Excalibur||2}}
|S40
|25 February 1955
|26 February 1958
|Sold for scrap
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book |author1=Miller, David  |author2=Jordan, John | title=Modern Submarine Warfare| location=London | publisher=Salamander Books | year=1987 | isbn=0-86101-317-4}}
*{{cite book|author1-last=Preston|author1-first=Antony|editor1-last=Chumbley|editor1-first=Stephen |title=Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995 |year=1995|publisher=Naval Institute Press |location= Annapolis, Maryland | isbn=1-55750-132-7|name-list-style=amp|chapter=United Kingdom |pages=95–131|author-link=Antony Preston}}

{{British Explorer class submarine}}
{{UK submarine classes after 1945}}

[[Category:Submarine classes]]
[[Category:Explorer-class submarines| ]]