Fifth Astute-class nuclear submarine sails for the first time
HMS Anson heads towards the open sea for its transfer from Barrow to HMNB Clyde. (Photo: BAE Systems)
HMS Anson will join the four existing Astute-class boats in operational service once sea trials are complete.
HMS Anson, the fifth Astute-class submarine has departed the company’s shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria for HM Naval Base Clyde.
The boat will then carry out sea trials before entering operational service.
Ben Wallace, UK Secretary of State for Defence, said: ‘HMS Anson will play a vital role in defending the UK, providing a competitive edge for decades to come, and I am proud to see her make her journey up to her permanent home on the Clyde.’
Related Articles
Nuclear submarine programme takes step forward with hull unit move
US Navy expands Trident submarine training facilities
BAE cuts steel for third Dreadnought submarine
HMS Anson was formally commissioned into the navy during a ceremony in last year, and the sixth and seventh Astute-class boats are at an advanced stage of construction in Barrow.
BAE Systems is also undertaking early design and concept work for the Royal Navy’s next generation of submarines which will eventually replace the Astute class, referred to as SSN-Replacement (SSNR).
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
AUKUS-SSNs/SSN(R) Astute Replacement Programme [UK]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Hormuz mines reopen the MCM capability question]()
Hormuz mines reopen the MCM capability question
The US-led mine clearance mission in the Strait of Hormuz is a reminder of the long-overdue reckoning among Western navies. With ageing fleets and uncrewed systems still maturing, the gap between rhetoric and investment is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
-
![How Canada is preparing the future River-class destroyers to endure uncrewed threats]()
How Canada is preparing the future River-class destroyers to endure uncrewed threats
Designed in 2019, Canada's new River-class destroyers are planned to be handed over by the 2050s. The long procurement timeline has cast doubt on whether the platforms will be obsolete for tomorrow’s warfare.
-
![Could the USCG icebreaker requirement open the door for more inland shipbuilding?]()
Could the USCG icebreaker requirement open the door for more inland shipbuilding?
The formation of a Great Lakes shipbuilding alliance could prompt a shift in how the US approaches naval and coast guard construction. But can distributed inland shipyards ease the country’s shipbuilding capacity?
