After the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) approved the Astute class submarine boat seven contract in March, BAE Systems has confirmed to Shephard the build is now underway.
The first three of the class, HMS Astute, HMS Ambush and HMS Artful, are already in service with the Royal Navy and the remaining four, including the yet-to-be-named seventh boat, are in various stages of the build at BAE System’s site in Barrow-in-Furness.
The MoD has not yet finalised plans for a launch date of the submarine. HMS Audacious, the fourth in class, was launched in April 2017.
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