And if it wasn't a navy owned gun, how did he get one on board?

How hid he got hold of a gun?

I know that sounds a bit like a supid question given that it's a military vessel, but surely all weapons are kept under lock and key. It's not like a surface vessel where they'll practice operations involving guns on a regular basis.
And if it wasn't a navy owned gun, how did he get one on board?

According to the news report I saw last night (channel 4) the gunman was part of the boats security detail and the incident occurred during a watch change over. He would therefore have had access to the weapon used. What I find alarming was that the weapon appears to have been a SA80 riffle, not a hand gun. I realise that security is probably beefed up when the boat is in port but it seems like a rather excessive weapon to be using to make sure unauthorised people don't get onto the sub. That all assumes of course that the C4 report was accurate at the time.

It's a nuclear submarine. They don't take any chances with the security on those. There are also persistent stories that there are actually fully armed soldiers on site at every nuclear power station in the UK. Neither the UK government or BNFL will confirm or deny the fact but it's generally assumed. The guy I used to live next door to who worked for BNFL certainly seemed to think it was the case.

I don't think it's that big a deal to have 'better than sidearm' weapons for security anyway. If you go to any UK international airport there are few policeman wandering around with G-36's or MP5's. Nobody wants to be the bloke who says 'they're not needed any more' just before a bunch of terrorists try to cause mayhem.

Jon