Royal Navy submarines rely on high-pressure water hoses to deter drone threats

Royal Navy vessels of the Vanguard class, which carry Trident II missiles, have been instructed to use fire-hose jets as their sole onboard air-defence against potential Russian drone attacks. The hoses, fitted with pistol-grip nozzles, are stored on the decks of submarines tied up at HMNB Clyde, a highly sensitive base in Faslane, Scotland. While the Navy emphasizes a multilayered security approach—physical barriers, patrols, surveillance and dedicated counter-drone systems—the hoses remain the only direct means to physically disrupt a drone.

Defence analyst Charlie Williams warned that relying on hoses is surprising and urged the Ministry of Defence to invest in more capable solutions. Smaller FPV drones can be repelled with the water blasts, whereas larger Russian or Iranian drones would be handled by the RAF, according to a Navy source.