French and British nuclear submarines collided early this month at the bottom of the Atlantic. It is an interesting glimpse into the cat and mouse games that nuclear submarines play at depth. I remember a friend who was a sonar operator on a hunter sub (think Hunt for Red October) implying that they bumped Russian vessels on occasion. Scary.

HMS Vanguard and Le Triomphant were badly damaged in the crash in heavy seas earlier this month. First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Jonathon Band said the submarines came into contact at low speed and no injuries were reported. Both the UK and France insisted nuclear security had not been compromised.

BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt said the incident was "incredibly embarrassing" for the Ministry of Defence (MoD). She said HMS Vanguard, with "very visible dents and scrapes", had to be towed back into its home base at Faslane on the Firth of Clyde.