While submerged, crew members receive just one incoming text message per week, known as a family-gram, which the captain censors to prevent any information that might harm morale or performance from reaching personnel.
HMS Victorious, the fourth submarine in the fleet, has been undergoing deep maintenance at HMNB Devonport since 2023.
Last week, RAF jets participated in a joint “simulated nuclear strike” exercise with France, the first time the two nations have conducted such war games together.
A source insisted this timing was merely a “coincidence” and that the three submarines being at sea was “not related to any direct threat” nor constituted a nuclear escalation.
