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The Royal Navy has officially named its sixth Astute Class nuclear-powered attack submarine HMS Agamemnon, ahead of the vessel being launched later this year and commissioning into the fleet.
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The naming ceremony was attended by the Minister for Defence Procurement James Cartlidge and included an address by the boat’s lady sponsor, Lady SJ Sedwill, wife of former UK National Security Adviser Lord Mark Sedwill.
Agamemnon was then blessed and christened with a bottle of beer from the local Ulverston Brewing Company smashed against its hull.
Steve Timms, managing director of BAE Systems’ Submarines, welcomed the latest milestone in the Astute Class program, saying, “This is a key milestone for Agamemnon and the UK nuclear submarine program, and contributes to the government’s Defence Nuclear Enterprise Command paper, which underpinned the importance of our business and Barrow in delivering this national endeavour.
“The Astute Class submarines are a vital component of our nation’s defence capabilities and we are fully focused on completing the remainder of Agamemnon’s program so she can join her sister submarines in service with the Royal Navy,” Timms added.
The Agamemnon draws its name from the ancient Greek king, made famous by Homer’s Iliad and the siege of Troy and is the sixth of a planned seven Astute Class nuclear-powered attack submarines to be in service with the Royal Navy.
James Cartlidge, Minister for Defence Procurement added, “HMS Agamemnon will play a vital role in defence of the nation, providing our Armed Forces with a competitive edge for decades to come. The Astute Class program continues to support tens of thousands of jobs, with these submarines being a leading example of our commitment to investing in British sovereign capabilities.”
In addition to the Astute Class, construction is underway on the first three boats in the Dreadnought Class, which is the next generation of nuclear deterrent submarines that will replace the current Vanguard Class.
BAE Systems is also developing the SSN-AUKUS program, as part of the trilateral security pact between Australia, the UK, and America.
Under the AUKUS agreement, Australia and the UK will operate a common submarine of the future, incorporating technology from all three nations, based on the UK’s next-generation design, which BAE Systems is leading.
