Agamemnon, the latest Royal Navy Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN), has entered the water at BAE Systems’ shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, for the first time. The boat was rolled out of its construction hall on 2 October 2024, put onto its shiplift overnight and entered the water on the morning of 3 October.
Named after the ancient Greek king, Agamemnon is the sixth of seven Astute-class SSNs, all of which have been designed and built at Barrow. The SSN, which displaces 7,400 tonnes dived and is 97 m long, will now begin the next phase of its test and commissioning programme before leaving Barrow for sea trials with the Royal Navy.
Steve Timms, managing director of BAE Systems Submarines, was quoted in a company press release as saying, “This is a hugely significant milestone for everyone at BAE Systems, the Defence Nuclear Enterprise and the Royal Navy.
“The design and build of a nuclear-powered submarine is incredibly complex and a truly national endeavour and I pay tribute to the thousands of highly skilled people who have helped get Agamemnon to this stage,” he said. “Submarines are a vital component of the UK’s defence capabilities and we must now work collectively to ensure Agamemnon is ready to join her sister submarines in service with the Royal Navy.”
The boat’s commanding officer, Commander David ‘Bing’ Crosby, added, “There is still plenty to do until we get to exit Agamemnon from Barrow, but the entire workforce should be full of pride for what they have achieved with this build so far. I am looking forward to working with our friends at BAE Systems, the Submarine Delivery Agency and the wider Defence Nuclear Enterprise to get Agamemnon through these final tests and ready for her exit from Barrow.”
The Astute-class boats are the largest and most advanced attack submarines ever built for the Royal Navy. Their state-of-the-art nuclear technology means they never need to be refuelled and, as they manufacture their own oxygen and drinking water for their 98 crew members, they are able to circumnavigate the globe without surfacing. They have a maximum speed of 30 knots (56 km/h) dived.
Astute-class SSNs would typically be armed with a mix of Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes and Tomahawk Block IV submarine-launched cruise missiles and can carry a combined total of 38 of these weapons.
The first five submarines in the class, HMS Astute, HMS Ambush, HMS Artful, HMS Audacious and HMS Anson, are now in service with the Royal Navy, with construction work well underway on the final Astute boat, Agincourt. However, construction of the Astute class has taken longer than expected; while the first in class, Astute, was commissioned within 116 months of being laid down, boats 3 to 6 have all taken at least 130 months according to analysis by the website navylookout.com, although Agincourt might finally buck this trend.
