In a moment of great national pride, the Royal Navy’s newest Astute Class attack submarine, Agamemnon, has been launched in an impressive ceremony at BAE Systems’ historic shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
Agamemnon joins her sister vessels—HMS Astute, HMS Ambush, HMS Artful, HMS Audacious, and HMS Anson—as work continues on the final submarine in the series, HMS Agincourt.
Named after the legendary Greek king, Agamemnon is the sixth of seven cutting-edge Astute Class submarines—the largest and most advanced attack subs ever built for the Royal Navy.
Weighing in at 7,400 tonnes and stretching 97 metres, this nuclear-powered giant entered the water for the first time today, marking another milestone in the UK’s proud submarine-building heritage.
The launch sees Agamemnon begin the next stage of rigorous testing and commissioning before setting off on sea trialswith the Royal Navy. Once complete, she will join her sister vessels in defending Britain’s interests beneath the waves.
Steve Timms, Managing Director at BAE Systems Submarines, hailed the launch as a “hugely significant milestone” for the company and the Defence Nuclear Enterprise, praising the “thousands of highly-skilled people” whose expertise has helped bring Agamemnon to life. He emphasised that submarines are a “vital component of the UK’s defence capabilities,” and called for continued collective effort to ensure the vessel is ready to take her place in the Royal Navy fleet.
Commander David ‘Bing’ Crosby, Agamemnon’s commanding officer, also expressed pride in the team’s achievement. “There is still plenty to do,” he said, “but the entire workforce should be full of pride for what they have achieved with this build so far.” He looked forward to working with BAE Systems, the Submarine Delivery Agency, and the broader Defence Nuclear Enterprise to get the submarine through its final tests.
The Astute Class submarines are a marvel of modern naval engineering. With state-of-the-art nuclear technology, these subs never need to be refuelled. They even manufacture their own oxygen and drinking water for their 98 crew members, allowing them to circumnavigate the globe without surfacing. It’s no wonder they are considered one of the most formidable components of the Royal Navy’s fleet.
This month’s launch marks another major step in the ongoing mission to secure the UK’s naval supremacy, with Agamemnon set to play a critical role in the defence of Britain for decades to come.
