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HMS Astute (S119)

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For other ships with the same name, see HMS Astute.
Astute on the shiplift outside Devonshire Dock Hall after launch
History
Royal Navy EnsignUnited Kingdom
NameHMS Astute
OrderedMarch 1997
Builderlist error: <br /> list (help)
BAE Systems Submarine Solutions,
Barrow-in-Furness
Laid down31 January 2001
Launched8 June 2007
Commissioned27 August 2010[1]
HomeportHM Naval Base Clyde
IdentificationPennant number: S119
StatusOn sea trials
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeAstute-class submarine
Displacement7,400 tonnes submerged
Length97 m (323 ft)
Beam11.3 m (37 ft)
Draught10 m (33 ft)
PropulsionRolls-Royce PWR2 reactor (with full submarine life core), MTU 600 kilowatt diesel generators
Speed29+ knots (54 km/h) submerged
RangeEssentially unlimited - but restricted by replenishment and maintenance requirements
Complement98 officers and enlisted, capacity of 109 (All male)
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament

HMS Astute is a nuclear-powered submarine in the Royal Navy, the lead ship of her class. Astute was ordered from GEC's Marconi Marine (now BAE Systems Submarine Solutions) on 17 March 1997. She was laid down on 31 January 2001, 100 years to the day since the keel was laid down for Holland 1, the first Royal Navy submarine. Astute was built in Barrow-in-Furness and launched on 8 June 2007 by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.

Astute is the second submarine of the Royal Navy to be named for the characteristic of shrewdness and discernment. The first was the World War II Amphion-class Astute. Now that she has been commissioned, Astute is one of the most 'advanced submarines in the world'.[3]

History

Launch

Astute on the shiplift after launch.

Astute was launched at BAE's submarine facility in Barrow-in-Furness on 8 June 2007 by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.[4] The launch attracted more than 10,000 spectators.[5] She is the first submarine built in the UK since HMS Vengeance, which was launched in 1998.

Astute left Barrow on 15 November 2009[6] and on 20 November 2009, arrived at her home port of HMNB Clyde at Faslane.[7] On 16 February 2010 Astute left Faslane for sea trials and dived for the first time on 18 February[8] and was commissioned on 27 August 2010, when she was given her HMS prefix, in a ceremony watched over by her patron, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall.

Overiew

Unlimited range

The 7,400-tonne Astute’s nuclear reactor will not need to be refuelled during the boat's 25 year service. Since the submarine can purify water and air, she will be able to circumnavigate the planet without resurfacing. The main limit is that the submarine will only be able to carry three months' supply of food for 98 crew.

Weaponry

Astute is equipped to carry Tomahawk cruise missiles.[9]

Project management

The launching of Astute was 43 months behind schedule, and the Astute class were £900 million over budget. This was due in part to outdated construction practices. Many of these were corrected when Murray Easton became construction boss.[9] Among the changes to accelerate the project, psychologists were consulted to improve communication and management effectiveness. Murray also reduced manpower requirements by using US construction methods, specifically those of the Electric Boat company. For example, submarine sections were built vertically so that gravity could assist assembly.[9]

Incidents

Since its overdue commissioning in 2010, Astute has faced a series of serious incidents which have been major enough to gain notoriety in the UK press. This series of incidents has led some media outlets to speculate if the submarine is 'jinxed'[10] whilst another newspaper reported Astute is fast gaining the nickname of 'S.S. Calamity'[11] as a result of its high-profile incidents.

Running aground and collision with tug

Astute aground with the emergency tow vessel Anglian Prince

On 22 October 2010, the Ministry of Defence confirmed that Astute had "run into difficulties" off the Isle of Skye while on trials after eye-witnesses reported the submarine had run aground a few miles from the Skye Bridge. There were no reports of injuries.[12] The captain of the vessel elected to wait for tug assistance, rather than use the submarine's own power to clear the stern from the obstruction, to minimise the damage to the hull's anechoic tiles.[13] A Royal Navy spokesperson said the vessel had been grounded on silt, and was re-floated at high tide.[14] The Maritime and Coastguard Agency-chartered emergency tow vessel Anglian Prince was despatched to the scene from Stornoway.[15]

During the operation to tow Astute clear, there was a collision between the rescue tug and the submarine, which resulted in damage to her starboard foreplane.[16] The submarine returned under its own power to Faslane, where the damage incurred in the grounding and afterwards was described as "minor".[17]

On 27 October 2010, the Royal Navy announced that the captain of Astute, Commander Andy Coles, had been relieved of his command.[18] It was subsequently decided that he would not face a court martial.[19] In December 2010 it was announced that Commander Iain Breckenridge, who has previously commanded the submarine HMS Tireless, would take over command. [20][21]

Reliability issues

On 11 December 2010, on her first day back at sea after the grounding incident, Astute had to return to port after a problem with the steam plant.[22]

Shooting on-board

Astute at 38 berth at the Port of Southampton on 8 April 2011 - the location of the shooting in 2011

On 8 April 2011, one rating was injured and one officer killed in a shooting on board Astute while berthed at Southampton docks. An able seaman opened fire with an SA80 assault rifle during a changeover of armed guards in the submarine's control room, before being overpowered by a local council boss[23] and later arrested by Hampshire Constabulary officers. Southampton City Council's leader, chief executive, and mayor were on board at the time.[24][25][26] The dead officer was named as Lieutenant Commander Ian Molyneux, Astute's weapons engineering officer.[27]

References

  1. ^ "Royal Navy's Most Powerful Submarine Gets Royal Approval". Ministry of Defence. 27th Aug 2010
  2. ^ "UK's most powerful submarine joins the Navy". Ministry of Defence. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  3. ^ "Exclusive: Royal Navy's most advanced submarine HMS Astute set for home on the River Clyde". Daily Record. 13 November 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  4. ^ "This week". The Daily Telegraph. 4 June 2007. Retrieved 4 June 2007.
  5. ^ "Royal Launch for First of Class Astute Submarine (News Release)". BAE Systems. 8 June 2007. Archived from the original on 13 July 2007. Retrieved 24 July 2007.
  6. ^ "Astute leaves Barrow". North West Evening Mail. 16 November 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2009.
  7. ^ "Astute Submarine Arrives at Faslane on the Clyde". BBC News. 20 November 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
  8. ^ "Astute's First Dive". Royal Navy. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  9. ^ a b c Alien submarine breaks technical barriers BBC News. (7 May 2007).
  10. ^ Pollard, Chris (9 April 2011). "Has she got jinx on her?". www.thesun.co.uk. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  11. ^ "HMS Astute shooting: The troubled history of the nuclear submarine". www.mirror.co.uk. 8 April 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
  12. ^ "Nuclear submarine HMS Astute runs aground off Skye". BBC News. 22 October 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  13. ^ Harding, Thomas. (22 October 2010) "HMS Astute: world's most advanced nuclear submarine runs aground." Telegraph.co.uk London. Retrieved 22 October 2010
  14. ^ "Grounded nuclear sub dragged free." (22 October 2010) BBC News, Retrieved 22 October 2010
  15. ^ "Scrap-threatened tug sent to submarine HMS Astute". BBC News. 22 October 2010. Archived from the original on 22 October 2010. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  16. ^ "Revealed: Stranded nuclear submarine crashed into rescue tug during botched bid to free it". Daily Mail (Mail Online). 4 November 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
  17. ^ "Grounded nuclear submarine HMS Astute returns to base". BBC. 25 October 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-08.
  18. ^ "Grounded HMS Astute nuclear sub chief loses command". BBC. 27 October 2010. Retrieved 2010-11-27.
  19. ^ McGivern, Mark (20 November 2010). "Captain of stuck sub HMS Astute to lose post but avoid court martial". The Daily Record. Retrieved 6 March 2011.
  20. ^ Hero navy commander takes command of HMS Astute two months after sub ran aground off Skye - The Daily Record
  21. ^ http://www.navynews.co.uk/news/1143-state-of-the-art-astute-visits-southampton.aspx
  22. ^ "Grounded nuclear submarine HMS Astute 'breaks down'". BBC. 11 December 2010. Retrieved 12 December 2010.
  23. ^ "Council boss 'disarmed gunman' on nuclear submarine". BBC. 08 April 2011. Retrieved 08 April 2011. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  24. ^ "One killed in HMS Astute nuclear submarine shooting". BBC. 08 April 2011. Retrieved 08 April 2011. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  25. ^ "Officer is shot dead on Royal Navy nuclear submarine". Evening Standard. 08 April 2011. Retrieved 08 April 2011. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  26. ^ "Fatal shooting on HMS Astute in Southampton docks". The Daily Echo. 08 April 2011. Retrieved 08 April 2011. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  27. ^ "HMS Astute shooting: Nuclear submarine guard kills officer in rifle rampage". The Daily Telegraph. 08 April 2011. Retrieved 08 April 2011. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
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