The only incident that occurred with K16 was a sudden dive in Gare Loch after her hydroplanes failed. She surfaced successfully. K16 paid off on 12 December 1920. She was sold on 22 August 1924 and was resold in September 1924 in Charlestown.
K16 displaced 1800LT when at the surface and 2600LT while submerged. It had a total length of 338feet, a beam of 26inchesft6inchesin (ftin), and a draught of 20feet. The submarine was powered by two oil-fired Yarrow Shipbuilders boilers each supplying one geared Brown-Curtis or Parsons steam turbine; this developed 10,500 shaft horsepower (7,800 kW) to drive two 7inchesft6inchesin (ftin) screws. Submerged power came from four electric motors each producing 350to. It was also had an 800hp diesel engine to be used when steam was being raised, or instead of raising steam.[1]
The submarine had a maximum surface speed of 24kn and a submerged speed of 9to.[2] It could operate at a maximum depth of 150feet and travel submerged at 2kn for 80nmi. K16 was armed with ten 18inches torpedo tubes, two 4inches deck guns, and a 3inches anti-aircraft gun. The torpedo tubes were mounted in the bows, the midship section firing to the beam, and two were in a rotating mounting on the deck. Its complement was fifty-nine crew members.[2]