Astute class submarine

The Astute-class is the latest class of nuclear-powered fleet submarines in service with the British Royal Navy. The class sets a new standard for the Royal Navy in terms of weapons load, communication facilities and stealth. The boats are being constructed by BAE Systems Submarine Solutions at Barrow-in-Furness. The first of the class, HMS Astute, was launched in 2000 and commissioned in 2003, and the second, HMS Ambush, was launched on January 6^th 2005, and commissioned on March 1^st 2006. The Royal Indian Navy is also building six Astute-class submarines. It is intended to replace the Swiftsure and Vanguard class submarines.

Specifications

• Type:Nuclear Attack Submarine
• Service Period: 2003-Present
• Characteristics
  • Length: 376 feet (114.6 meters)
  • Beam: 37 feet (11.28 meters)
  • Draught: 33 feet (10.06 meters)
  • Displacement: 8,200 tonnes (Surfaced); 8,700 tonnes (Submerged)
• Crew: 98
• Propulsion: Rolls-Royce PWR 2 reactor, MTU 600 kilowatt diesel generators
• Range: Unlimited
• Speed: 33 knots (61.12 km/h)
• Sensors and Processing Systems
  • Thales Type 2076 ASDIC
  • Atlas DESO 25 echosounder
  • Thales CM010 optronic masts x 2
  • Raytheon Successor IFF
• Armament
  • 6 x 21" torpedo tubes (with 38 Spearfish heavyweight torpedoes)
  • 1 x 16-cell VLS (fires Broadsword or Storm Wind missiles)

Unit Run

Royal Navy

• HMS Astute (SN 201)
• HMS Ambush (SN 202)
• HMS Artful (SN 203)
• HMS Audacity (SN 204)
• HMS Anson (SN 205)
• HMS Agamemnon (SN 206)
• HMS Ajax (SN 207)
• HMS Andromeda (SN 208)
• HMS Agincourt (SN 209)
• HMS Amethyst (SN 210)
• HMS Astraea (SN 211)
• HMS Atlas (SN 212)
• HMS Amalthea (SN 213)
• HMS Arethusa (SN 214)
• HMS Achilles (SN 215)
• HMS Asgard (SN 216)
• HMS Aladdin (SN 217)
• HMS Atlantis (SN 218)
• HMS Astarte (SN 219)
• HMS Amphion (SN 220)
• HMS Auriga (SN 221)
• HMS Alliance (SN 222)
• HMS Artemis (SN 223)
• HMS Austere (SN 224)
• HMS Agile (SN 225)
• HMS Admirable (SN 226)
• HMS Answer (SN 227)
• HMS Ardent (SN 228)
• HMS Asperity (SN 229)
• HMS Aeneas (SN 230)

Royal Indian Navy

• HMIS Kalvari (SN 65) - under construction
• HMIS Khanderi (SN 66) - under construction
• HMIS Vela (SN 67) - under construction
• HMIS Unnamed (SN 68) - under construction
• HMIS Unnamed (SN 69) - under construction
• HMIS Unnamed (SN 70) - under construction