TWO Trafalgar Class submarines will move from Her Majesty’s Naval Base Devonport to Her Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, the Defence Secretary has confirmed.

This is another step towards HMNB Clyde becoming the Royal Navy’s Submarine Centre of Specialisation.

By 2020, HMS Talent and HMS Triumph will be at their new base, and HMNB Clyde will be home to all of the UK’s submarines.

The Royal Navy’s other two T-Boats, HMS Torbay and HMS Trenchant, are to remain at their current home in Devonport until they are decommissioned in 2017 and 2019 respectively.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: “This decision balances the Royal Navy’s operational requirements with giving more clarity to our servicemen and women to plan their family lives.

“HMS Torbay and HMS Trenchant crews and their families now have certainty that Devonport will be their home port until the boats decommission. We expect that local communities will welcome HMS Talent and HMS Triumph and their crews and families when they arrive in Scotland later this decade.

“Our commitment to Faslane becoming home to all Royal Navy submarines from 2020 will bring hundreds of jobs and investment to the West of Scotland.”

There is no change to the decision to make HM Naval Base Clyde the Single Integrated Submarine Operating Base and Submarine Centre of Specialisation by 2020. However, to have HMS Torbay and HMS Trenchant remain in Devonport until they decommission represents better value for money than to move them so near to the end of their service lives.

HMNB Devonport

• For over 300 years the Devonport site has been a home for the Royal Navy. Today, it delivers world class, safe, and secure operational capability and support. In partnership with Babcock Marine, under the recently announced Maritime Support Delivery Framework, Devonport will continue to support fleet operations including through the provision of in-service support to all our submarines.

Naval Base Commander Devonport, Commodore Graeme Little said: “The decision for HMS Torbay and HMS Trenchant to remain base-ported in Devonport reflects the operational and support demands of the boats and minimises potential disruption and uncertainty to our submariners - it is entirely consistent with the longer term plan to establish Clyde as the Submarine Operating Base and for Devonport to remain the Submarine Centre of Deep Maintenance.”

HMNB Clyde

• HMNB Clyde is already the single largest employment site in Scotland, and overall employment figures will rise to 8,200 by 2020.

• HM Naval Base Clyde has already begun an integrated construction programme to fully support the requirement of the ships, submarines and Royal Marines that will be based there. The investment runs into hundreds of millions of pounds.

• Local authorities have been engaged from the beginning in the plan to make HMNB Clyde the Home of the UK Submarine Service, and they will continue to be consulted as we move forward.

Naval Base Commander Clyde, Commodore Mark Adams said: “Several years of hard work have already gone into preparing HMNB Clyde to be the Home of the UK Submarine Service.

"The base regularly successfully hosts Trafalgar Class submarines for both routine visits and to undertake periods of extended maintenance and we are delighted to welcome HMS Talent and HMS Triumph on their move from Devonport HM Naval Base Clyde and the surrounding Argyll and Bute communities are renowned for their hospitality so the crews and their families can be assured of a warm welcome.”