Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden praised the crew of a submarine after what is thought to have been the longest-ever patrol by a Trident-armed vessel.
The Vanguard-class submarine returned to the Clyde on Monday with its hull visibly discoloured to an unprecedented extent..
The MoD has refused to confirm that it had been on patrol for up to ten months – rather than three months as usual – and that crew members had each been paid £25,000 compensation.
Mr Dowden said: “I am delighted to be here to welcome home our sailors as they return from patrol.
“The Continuous At Sea Deterrent is enormously important to the United Kingdom and I am humbled by their service.
“I do not underestimate the demands on our people and their families in their commitment to delivering this capability.”
This is the 55th year of Operation Relentless, under which at least one British submarine carrying the nation’s nuclear deterrent has been on patrol since 1969.
Four buses took family members to Cove Sailing Club where they waved to welcome their loved ones home.
The First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Ben Key, was also there on Monday and said: “It’s a great privilege for me to welcome home the returning ship’s company.
“They have done an exceptional job and I never fail to be impressed by their dedication and professionalism. I also pay immense tribute to their families and thank them for their support.
“We should never underestimate the huge national effort that goes into this endeavour.
“It is through the commitment of all of those across the defence nuclear enterprise, our industrial partners and across government that we are now in our 55th year of unbroken deterrent patrols.”
The four Vanguard-class submarines have been in service since the 1990s and are due to be replaced by the Dreadnought class in in the early 2030s.
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