The first Astute-class submarine has been handed over to the Royal Navy for operations almost three years after it was commissioned.
BAE Systems Maritime announced on 18 July that HMS Astute and the second Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarine (SSN), HMS Ambush, were delivered to the Royal Navy during a ceremony at the company’s submarine manufacturing facility in Barrow-in-Furness where the sixth boat – Agamemnon – was also laid down.
The company said that work on Agamemnon will now transition from preparation and fabrication of parts to construction.
Astute was due to be ready for operations in 2012 but the programme