Her Majesty's Naval Base, Devonport (
HMNB Devonport), is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the
Royal Navy (the others being
HMNB Clyde and
HMNB Portsmouth). HMNB Devonport is located in
Devonport, in the west of the city of
Plymouth in Devon, England. Having begun as
Royal Navy Dockyard in the late-17th century, it is now the largest naval base in Western Europe and is the sole nuclear repair and refuelling facility for the Royal Navy. Shipbuilding ceased at Devonport in the early 1970s, but ship maintenance work has continued: the now
privatised maintenance facilities are operated by Babcock Marine, a division of
Babcock International Group, who took over the previous owner
Devonport Management Limited (DML) in 2007. From 1934 until the early 21st century the naval barracks on the site was named
HMS Drake (it had previously been known as
HMS Vivid after the
base ship of the same name). Recently, the name
HMS Drake was extended to cover the entire base; the barracks buildings are now termed the Fleet Accommodation Centre.