British Government: Sixth powerful attack submarine departs Barrow-in-Furness for sea trials

Sixth powerful attack submarine departs Barrow-in-Furness for sea trials

UK and Euro-Atlantic security will soon be boosted, as the Royal Navy’s sixth powerful attack submarine departs from Barrow-in-Furness. 

• Latest Astute Class submarine, HMS Agamemnon has sailed from the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness.
• She will now undergo sea trials - a major step towards delivering the highly capable attack submarine to bolster security for the UK and the Euro-Atlantic.
• The UK’s submarine industrial base is benefitting from £6 billion of Government investment over the Spending Review period and sustains thousands of jobs.

The newest Royal Navy conventionally armed nuclear-powered submarine, HMS Agamemnon and nicknamed ‘Awesome Aggie’, will now begin sea trials - a period of testing ahead of joining active service with the Royal Navy. 

The Astute Class are the largest, most advanced and most powerful attack submarines ever operated by the Royal Navy. Weighing 7,400 tonnes and at 97 metres long, they are just short of the length of two Olympic swimming pools. Powered by a Rolls-Royce Submarines nuclear reactor, produced in Derby in the Midlands, the submarine will not need to refuel for the duration of her service life. 

The submarine’s high-tech capabilities include stealthy precision strike, anti-submarine warfare, and intelligence gathering. HMS Agamemnon will be armed with heavyweight Spearfish torpedoes and Tomahawk IV land attack missiles, able to strike targets at a range of more than 1,000 miles. 

Alongside their role supporting the continuous at sea deterrent, Astute-class submarines are also involved in protecting maritime task groups and providing support to UK, NATO and coalition operations.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said:

Having seen first-hand the dedication and pride of the workforce in Barrow, and that of the thousands of people who work across our submarine supply chain in the United Kingdom, I know how much this milestone will mean to each and every one of them. As one of the most advanced submarines ever built, HMS Agamemnon will play a major role in further boosting our security here at home and across NATO.

Defence Secretary, Wes Streeting MP said:

Deterrence is the bedrock of our national security. Another formidable attack submarine going to sea strengthens that deterrence and demonstrates how we are stepping up to meet the threats of a more dangerous world. I’ve been on board HMS Agamemnon and met her submariners and the skilled workers who delivered this incredible feat of engineering. It’s a powerful reminder of how strengthening our defence creates good jobs, opens up opportunity, and reindustrialises our country.

Read the full report at British Government →

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Elevated (3/5)