During the Cold War the principal role of a fleet submarine was to silently observe and track Soviet submarines and ships leaving port. With the end of the Cold War many submarines were adapted to carry Tomahawk land-attack missiles as well as launching teams of Special Forces. In this role submarines have taken part in conflicts around the world such as in Serbia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya. The dangerous and claustrophobic life on board a submarine required the ship's company of 120 men to work as a close team.

Decommissioned in 2010, HMS Sceptre was the last of the Royal Navy's Swiftsure class of nuclear-powered fleet submarines. These photographs, taken just as HMS Sceptre was decommissioned, offer a glimpse into what life was like on board a British nuclear submarine.