The Royal Navy officially commissioned its latest Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarine and began construction of its final Dreadnought-class ballistic missile submarine.
The ceremonies were held at BAE Systems’ Barrow-in-Furness shipyard in England and attended by around 500 guests, including King Charles III and Defence Secretary John Healey, alongside military leaders, politicians, and other dignitaries.
In a break from naval tradition, His Majesty read the Astute-class submarine’s commissioning warrant, formally declaring the system ready to join the fleet. The defense chief cut the first steel to mark the start of construction on the Dreadnought-class platform earlier in the day.
The Astute submarine, named HMS Agamemnon after a mythical Greek king, is the sixth of seven in the class to enter service. It will complete final testing and commissioning before departing Barrow for sea trials.
Meanwhile, HMS King George VI, named after King Charles’ grandfather, will be part of a fleet set to replace the Vanguard-class boats that deliver Operation Relentless, the Royal Navy’s continuous at-sea deterrent mission maintained without interruption since 1969.
Steve Timms, managing director of BAE Systems’ Submarines business, which oversees both the Astute and Dreadnought programs, said the milestones reflected both progress and tradition at the Barrow shipyard.
“Cutting steel on the fourth Dreadnought submarine demonstrates the significant progress we’ve made on the programme, whilst the sixth Astute class boat, HMS Agamemnon, joins the long and distinguished list of Barrow-built vessels to be commissioned into the Royal Navy,” Timms stated.
“The enduring partnership between our Barrow shipyard and the Navy dates back to the Victorian age and our role as the UK’s home of submarine design and build is something we’re incredibly proud of.”
Astute-Class Submarine
The UK’s Astute-class submarine is built to replace the Trafalgar class introduced in the 1980s.
It is 97 meters (318 feet) long, with a beam of 11 meters (36 feet) and a draught of 10 meters (32 feet). Propulsion comes from a Rolls-Royce PWR 2 nuclear reactor with MTU diesel generators, providing unlimited range and up to 90 days at sea, limited only by food and crew endurance.
The submarine can dive beyond 300 meters (980 feet) and reach 30 knots (56 kilometers/35 miles per hour) while submerged. It carries 98 crew members, with space for up to 109.
Armament includes six 533-millimeter torpedo tubes holding up to 38 weapons, including Tomahawk Block IV cruise missiles and Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes.
Dreadnought-Class Submarine
The Dreadnought-class submarine is the largest ever designed for the Royal Navy.
It measures 154 meters (505 feet), accommodates up to 130 personnel, and is powered by the Rolls-Royce Pressurised Water Reactor 3, two geared steam turbines, and a propeller shaft.
The vessel has a top speed of 20 knots (37 kilometers/23 miles per hour) on the surface and 28 knots (52 kilometers/32 miles per hour) underwater. Similar to the Astute, the Dreadnought’s range is effectively unlimited, constrained only by food and crew endurance.
The Dreadnought carries Spearfish 533-millimeter heavyweight torpedoes and Lockheed Martin UGM-133A Trident II ballistic missiles.
