The Royal Navy is training sailors to use high-pressure fire hoses as a defense against drone attacks on the United Kingdom’s Vanguard-class nuclear-armed submarines. These submarines, stationed primarily at HM Naval Base Clyde in Faslane, Scotland, carry Trident 2 missiles and represent a key component of Britain’s nuclear deterrent. Despite their strategic significance and the advanced weaponry they carry, the submarines’ last line of aerial defense currently consists of this relatively rudimentary measure.
The fire hoses, referred to as "centre fed reels," are deployed on submarine decks when the vessels are moored alongside. Equipped with pistol-grip nozzles to facilitate aiming, the hoses are intended to disrupt or disable small and medium-range drones that evade other defense systems. Naval sources acknowledge that the use of hoses is a stopgap measure, with one official stating, “You have to use what you’ve got.”
The Ministry of Defence maintains that multiple layers of protection are in place, including physical barriers, patrols, surveillance, and electronic counter-drone capabilities. Submariners manning the decks are trained to engage drones with these water jets, which are particularly vulnerable when the vessels are surfaced or docked. The geography of Faslane, situated on a one-kilometer-wide stretch of Gare Loch, adds complexity to the base’s security, with public access to nearby roads and hills reducing response times to drone incursions.
Since 2018, the Faslane base has reportedly been subject to suspicious drone activity, reflecting concerns over the increasingly frequent use of unmanned aerial systems near sensitive military installations. Drone flights near military bases in Europe have reportedly soared, from fewer than ten per year in 2019 to more than 300 in the most recent twelve-month period. A report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) notes that Russia has conducted hundreds of drone operations near nuclear sites across Europe, including France’s Ile Longue submarine base, Belgium’s Kleine-Brogel airfield, and RAF Lakenheath in England.
The reliance on fire hoses as a defensive tool has drawn scrutiny from security analysts. Charlie Williams, author of the IISS report, expressed surprise at the simplicity of the current measures, emphasizing Faslane’s importance as a target for hostile actors. Meanwhile, other nations have adopted different approaches: Russia has reportedly constructed metal cages around its Black Sea submarines to mitigate drone threats, and larger U.S. bases such as King’s Bay, Georgia, benefit from expansive perimeters that offer more time to respond to aerial incursions.
The heightened threat environment was recently underscored by the withdrawal of U.S. Air Force B-1B bombers from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire following concerns of a potential Iran-backed drone attack. This threat led to the deployment of RAF Regiment anti-drone units to the base. Authorities arrested several individuals on terrorism-related charges in connection with the alleged plot, which mirrored drone attack tactics seen in the conflict in Ukraine.
Naval officials emphasize that while fire hoses may appear rudimentary, they remain an essential, if limited, means of countering small, fast, and low-flying drones. Long-range attack drones, such as the Iranian Shahed or Russian Gerbera, are expected to be intercepted by fighter jets when approaching British waters. The challenge remains acute during periods when submarines are docked or on the surface—conditions under which the vessels are most susceptible to aerial drone threats.