HMS Ocelot (S17) is an Oberon-class diesel-electric submarine that served in the Royal Navy. Here is a detailed overview of HMS Ocelot:

Class and Build: HMS Ocelot is part of the Oberon-class, which was a direct follow-on from the Porpoise-class. The Oberon-class submarines had the same dimensions and external design but featured updates to equipment and internal fittings, and used a higher grade of steel(6).

Launch: HMS Ocelot was launched in May 1962 from No. 7 Slip at Chatham Dockyard. She was the last submarine to be built at Chatham Dockyard for the Royal Navy(7).

Cold War Operations: During the Cold War, HMS Ocelot was involved in various clandestine missions. She was equipped with a stealthy diesel-electric engine, making her ideal for surveillance and covert operations. Ocelot patrolled the Atlantic and was involved in exercises and trials in nearly every corner of the world, including the Arctic, Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean, and Baltic Seas(8).

Notable Incidents: One notable incident in Ocelot's history was her involvement in the salvage of HM Submarine Artemis, which sank while moored at the RN submarine base HMS Dolphin in 1971. Ocelot's crew helped rescue trapped ratings and bring the vessel back afloat87.

Deployments: In the late 1980s, under the command of Lieutenant Trevor Soar, HMS Ocelot undertook a lengthy voyage that included a covert mission patrolling the Falklands exclusion zone and passing through Panama during a military coup. This deployment lasted from July to December 1989 and covered over 23,000 miles(9).

End of Service: HMS Ocelot was decommissioned in August 1991 as the Royal Navy began to transition from conventional to nuclear submarines. She was paid off after 27 years of active service(6)(7).

Preservation: After decommissioning, HMS Ocelot was returned to Chatham Historic Dockyard in 1992. She has been preserved as a museum ship and is open to the public for tours. In November 2013, the interior of HMS Ocelot was added to Google Street View, allowing virtual tours of the submarine(6)(7).

Design: The Oberon-class submarines were designed in the 1950s to replace the post-war Porpoise-class. They featured improvements in stealth, with anything that could make noise isolated from the hull. The submarines had a bulbous nose that housed an advanced sonar array(10).

Armament: Initially, HMS Ocelot had six forward torpedo tubes and two aft. The rear two were later removed as her mission evolved(10).

References

• 6. Wikipedia
• 7. www.nationalhistoricships.org.uk
• 8. thedockyard.co.uk
• 9. thedockyard.co.uk
• 10. www.cnet.com

Text generated by Mistral Le Chat